LIRRARY 

OF   THK 


University  of  California. 

7-  . 


Received      0^(^^^  'OL,.<2^r'      ^  ^^9 


Accession  No.  Cd  ^^^ J.       Class 


No. 


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ENGLISH  HEARTS 
AND  ENGLISH  HANDS. 


[UII7BRSITT] 


Bnglkh  Hearts. 


VRONTISriECK. 


ENGLISH  HEARTS 
AND  ENGLISH  HANDS ; 

OB, 

TilE  EAILWAT  AND  THE  TKENCHES. 


BT  THE  AUTHOB  OF  THB 

"MEMORIALS  OF  CAPTAIN  HEDLEY  VICARS." 

^     111  iSS      CcvUV^i^rM^     '\X[cLh.lk'\ 

Love  found  me  in  the  wilderness,  at  cost 
Of  painful  quests,  when  I  myself  had  loafc. 

Love  on  its  shoulders  joyfully  did  lay 
Me,  weary  with  the  greatness  of  ray  way. 

Love  lit  the  lamp,  and  swept  the  house  all  round. 
Till  the  lost  money  in  the  end  was  found. 

Love  the  king's  image  there  would  stamp  again. 
Effaced  in  part,  an  I  soil'd  with  i-ust  aud  stain. 

Twas  Love  whose  quick  and  ever-watchful  eye 
The  wand'rer's  first  step  homeward  did  espy. 

}m  its  own  wardrobe  Love  gave  word  to  bring 
I  needed — shoes.  ai.d  robe,  and  ring. 

.r.-'^    Ot  THB         ^ 

ftjiitibsiit; 

ROBERT   CARTER   &   BROTHERS, 

No.    530    BROADWAY. 
1860. 


75  y^  ^  /  6 


c-c 


^zd 


PREFACE. 


It  is  but  a  few  summers  since  the  sun  shone  upon  the 
w(X)dy  heights  of  the  Sydenham  and  Norwood  hills, 
and  now  his  rays  may  be  seen  gleaming  from  the 
crystal  roof  of  that  vast  temple  to  the  arts  of  peace, 
which  has  suddenly  displaced  the  oaks  and  elms  of  the 
green  woodland. 

Whose  were  the  hands  that  reared  that  colossal 
building?  Its  massive  iron  pillars,  its  huge  girders, 
the  ponderous  supports  of  its  complicated  roofing,  all 
tell  us  that  it  was  the  work  of  some  of  the  hardiest 
and  strongest  of  Britain's  sons.  But  while  those  who 
survey  the  stores  vrith  which  the  wide  structure  is 
enriched,  may  perchance  give  a  passing  thought  to  the 
strength  of  frame  and  mechanical  skill  of  the  workmen 
who  so  speedily  accomplished  the  setting  up  of  such  a 
fabric,  it  was  the  privilege  of  a  few,  whose  dwelling 
had,  in  the  providence  of  God,  been  fixed  near  Its  site, 
at  the  time  of  its  constmction,  to  become  acquainted 
with  a  large  proportion  of  the  labourers,  and  to  form 
and  cultivate  a  trleTidship  with  them  based  upon  the 


VI  PREFACE. 

firm  foundation  of  '^  tlie  hidden  man  of  the  heart  in 
that  which  is  not  corruptible." 

When  the  author  of  these  pages  first  began  to  speak 
to  the  earliest  groups  of  stragglers  who  came  to  seek  a 
labouring  man's  lodging  in  Beckenham,  it  was  little 
thought  whereunto  this  would  grow.  It  was  little 
expected  that  two  or  three  hundred  navvies  could  take 
up  their  abode  in  a  country  village  for  two  winters, 
and,  instead  of  spreading  moral  contagion,  set  a  good 
example  to  many  of  its  inhabitants.  It  was  little  sup- 
posed that  memory  would  be  crowded,  as  it  is,  with 
incidents  and  recollections  of  deep  and  hallowed,  as 
well  as  of  warm  and  manly  friendship  on  the  part  of 
some  of  them,  who,  having  witnessed  a  good  confession, 
have  finished  their  course  with  joy. 

By  what  instrumentality  so  much  has  been  effected 
— so  much  at  least  beyond  the  author's  own  anticipa- 
tions— the  narrative  itself  will  explain.  It  is  compiled 
from  a  diary  which  was  at  first  intended  only  for  pri- 
vate use ;  and  the  object  of  its  publication  is  to  interest 
our  countrymen  and  countrywomen  in  a  class  of  men 
possessing  not  only  many  noble  and  generous  qualities, 
but  even  many  latent  feelings  of  gentleness  and  tender- 
ness, pent  up  perhaps  for  years,  and  only  waiting  for 
the  helping  hand  of  cordial  Christian  sympathy,  to 
flow  forth  in  rich  abundance. 


PREFACE.  vil 

The  circumstance  should  not  be  unnoticed,  that  the 
interest  attaching  to  some  of  the  details  is  attributable 
to  the  providence  of  God  having  so  ordered  the  times 
and  seasons,  that  scarcely  had  the  finishing  stroke  been 
put  to  a  fabric  specially  dedicated  to  the  pursuits  of 
peace,  before  the  whole  nation  was  aroused  by  the 
alarm  of  war,  and  many  of  the  bands  which  had  lifted 
the  burden,  wielded  the  hammer,  or  otherwise  wrought 
in  the  work  at  Sydenham,  were  suddenly  called,  if  not 
"  to  hold  the  weapon,"  yet  to  labour  in  the  mighty 
appliances  for  the  siege  before  the  terrible  fortress  of 
Sebastopol. 

As  might  have  been  expected,  some  who  thus  left 
their  country  never  returned :  but  both  among  those 
who  have  been  gathered  to  their  last  resting-place  in  a 
foreign  land,  and  among  those  who  have  been  brought 
back  and  still  survive,  it  is  humbly  hoped  there  are 
not  a  few,  of  whom,  through  the  grace  of  God,  it 
shall  one  day  be  said,  "  With  joy  and  gladness  shall 
they  be  brought,  they  shall  enter  into  The  King's 
Palace"  —  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  "having  the 
glory  of  God,  and  her  light  clear  as  crystal." 

FREDERICK  CHALMERS, 

Bector  of  Beckenham,  Kent. 


AUTHOR'S  POSTSCRIPT. 


This  little  book  is  not  written  for  those  who  are 
usually  called  the  Working  Classes.  Its  purport,  as 
has  been  said,  is  to  shew  men  and  women  who  are 
placed  by  the  providence  of  God  in  another  position 
of  life,  how  much  of  high  and  delicate  feeling  is  to  be 
found  amongst  that  great  mass  of  their  countrymen 
who  eat  their  bread  under  the  heavier  portion  of  the 
primoeval  curse.  Its  object,  also,  is  to  suggest  how 
much  of  that  trial  may  be  softened,  and  of  that  labour 
lightened,  by  tlie  manifestation  of  a  kindly  interest  in 
their  daily  toil  and  rare  pleasures  ;  of  a  ready  appre- 
ciation of  their  better  feelings,  and  of  a  true  sympathy 
with  all  that  they  know  of  earthly  sorrow  or  of  hea- 
venly hope. 

After  the  publication  of  this  diary  had  been  urged 
by  several  persons  in  whose  judgment  I  have  con- 
fidence, I  still  hesitated  long  from  a  fear  lest  its  pub- 
lication might  lessen  the  freedom  of  future  intercourse 


X  author's  postscript. 

with  its  subjects.  During  the  interim,  nearly  all  the 
men  personally  named  have  been  removed  from  any 
risk  of  being  affected  by  it,  either  by  emigration  or 
by  death. 

With  respect  to  the  dead,  this  book  is  simply  on  the 
same  standing  as  that  of  any  other  biography. 

No  surname  of  a  living  man  is  mentioned.  With 
regard  to  the  possibility  of  the  very  few  who  may  be 
left  to  recognise  their  own  initials,  counsel  was  taken 
with  two  men  of  sound  sense  and  humble  piety  who 
had  been  navvies  themselves,  and  have  since  been  em- 
ployed as  Scripture  readers. 

The  first  replied  to  the  question,  Would  the  navvies 
be  pained  by  the  publication  of  these  conversations 
and  letters  ?  "  As  far  as  I  can  say,  they  would  feel 
a  pleasure  in  your  care  that  they  should  be  put 
straighter  with  otner  people." 

To  the  query,  Would  it  be  likely  to  promote  vanity 
in  any  of  them  ?  the  other  answered  with  character- 
istic honesty  and  simplicity — 

"  Dear  Madam,— You  ask  me  what  I  think  would 
be  the  effect  of  publishing  an  account  of  your  inter- 
course with  the  navvies,  whether  it  would  be  likely 
to  promote  vanity?  1  cannot  see  how  it  could  in 
any  one  but  yourself  j  and  I  hope  and  believe,  not 
that." 


author's  postsceipt.  zi 

The  originals  of  these  letters  which  have  been  in- 
troduced were  sent  to  the  press,  in  the  first  instance, 
untouched ;  but,  on  further  consideration,  it  seemed 
due  to  the  surviving  writers  to  correct  those  words 
which  were  mis-spelt,  leaving  all  else  intact.  It  was 
just  possible  that  those  errors  in  orthography  might 
have  been  so  pointed  out  to  some  one  of  the  writers 
as  to  occasion  pain ;  and  dearly  bought,  indeed, 
would  have  been  the  preservation  of  the  charm  of  the 
truly  phonetic  spelling  chiefly  in  use,  if  it  had  caused 
the  least  vexation  to  one  of  those  honest  manly  hearts, 
for  the  truer  or  more  general  appreciation  of  which  this 
book  is  sent  forth  to  plead. 


Of  T^BM 

CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  L 

FiOl 

Making  Fbiends  .        .       •'       •         1 

CHAPTER  IL 
Confirmation  and  First  Communion    .        21 

CHAPTER  III, 
Honest  Heakts 35 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Happy  Dying      •        •        .        •        ,        55 

CHAPTER  V. 
Fears  and  Hopes        ....        63 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Wanderers  Reclaimed        ...        70 


Xiv  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  YII. 

VAOB 

Self-Conquest 91 


CHAPTER  YIIL 
Last  Meetings  and  Last  Partings    .         101 

CHAPTER  IX. 
The  Bible  in  the  Camp      .        .        .        113 

CHAPTER  X. 
The  Aemour  of  Light       .        .        •        137 

CHAPTER  XL 
More  Hearts  to  Win        .        .        .        147 

CHAPTER  XIL 
Hard  Fighting  with  Old  Foes  •        167 

CHAPTER  XIIL 
The  Fight         .        .        .        ,        .        177 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Human  Brotherhood        .        .        .        187 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Brotherly  Love        .        •        •        .        205 


CONTENTS.  XV 


CHAPTER  XVL 

V40B 

Safe  at  Home  ....         219 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
True  and  Trusty        ....         237 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Prison-Doors  Opened         .        .        .         267 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
The  Welcome  Home  .        .        .        279 

CHAPTER  XX 
Gladness  and  Singleness  of  Heart  313 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

WOBK  TO  DO  FOB  GOD  XSD  OUB  BbOTHEB       345 


OHAPTEK    L 


The  rugged  rock  oft  holds  within  its  bosom, 

i>eep  hidden,  a  fount  of  sweet  and  living  water, 

That  needs  but  the  soft  power  of  some  meet  iDfluenoe 

To  call  it  gushing  forth  ; — thus,  too,  the  heart 

Of  many  a  rough,  neglected  child  of  labour, 

When  gejitly  touched  by  the  mild  words  of  kindnesfc, 

I3  found  to  be  a  source  whence  flow  all  plenteoualy 

Trust,  gratefulness,  and  truth,  and  those  sweet  syiofathiis 

¥hai  mako  man  loved  and  lovely." 


<• 


[miVBRSITTj 


Ka  wly  In  the  year  1853,  -a  lar^e  number  of  Hallway  ex- 
cavators, amounting  at  length  to  nearly  three  thousand, 
were  gathered  from  different  parts  of  the  kingdom,  to 
work  at  the  grounds  of  the  Crystal  Palace  at  Sydenham. 
Many  a  pleasant  meeting  tOvok  place.  Fathers  and  sons 
who  had  hardly  expected  to  grasp  each  others'  hands 
again,  met  there ;  and  brothers  who  had  parted  in  boy- 
hood, to  follow  their  wandering  course  of  life  apart, 
found  they  were  working  side  by  side. 

Nearly  two  hundred  of  these  men  lodged  in  the 
village  of  Beckenham;  so  that,  in  visiting  the  cottages, 
we  heard  of  them,  but  seldom  met  them,  as  they  were 
generally  employed  till  late  in  the  evening.  It  was  on 
Sunday,  the  13th  of  March,  that  I  first  attempted  to 
seek  them  out.  About  seven  in  the  evening,  I  went 
to  a  cottage  where  several  were  lodging,  and  asked 
for  one  of  the  family  (whom  I  had  formerly  visited  in 
his  illness),  as  an  easy  introduction  to  the  strangers. 
A  tall,  strong  man,  in  a  fustian  jacket,  opened  the 
door  scarcely  wide  enough  to  shew  his  face.  "  Harry 
amt  here  just  now." 


4  MAKING  FRIENDS. 

"  But  I  suppose  I  shall  see  him  if  I  wait,  shall  I 
not?     I  will  walk  in,  if  you  will  allow  me." 

"  Well,  you  can,  if  you  like ;  but  we're  a  lot  of 
rough  uns." 

"Oh,  thank  yon,  I  do  not  mind  that;  you  will  be 
very  civil  to  me,  I  am  sure.  Would  you  get  me  a 
chair?" 

An  intelligent-looking  youth  darted  forward,  dusted 
a  chair  with  the  tail  of  another  man's  coat,  and  placed 
it  for  me  near  the  table. 

I  inquired  if  any  of  them  had  been  at  church ;  but 
not  one  had  thought  of  it.  They  listened  with 
attentive  interest  to  an  account  of  Mr  Chalmers' 
morning  sermon,  on  the  occasion  of  the  death  of  a 
medical  man  who  had  been  residing  in  Beckenham, 
with  a  sketch  of  his  history.*  Several  of  them  ex- 
pressed strong  admiration  of  Dr  R 's  kindness 

and  generosity  to  the  poor,  whilst  himself  working 
hard,  mentally,  for  his  own  support ;  and  the  young 
man,  whose  name  was  Edward  Perry,  said,  "  I  know 
that  brain-labour  is  harder  than  hand-labour." 

When  the  narrative  was  ended,  he  said,  "  Well, 
ma'am,  it 's  a  beai'tiful  story,  but  in  a  measure  it  passes 
by  me,  because  I  don't  believe  the  Bible." 

I  dreaded  an  argument,  yet  felt  it  necessary  to 
reply,  so  prayed  silently  for  wisdom ;  and  then  in- 
quired the  reason  of  his  unbelief. 

.  •  The  subject  of  "  The  Victory  Won." 


MAKING  FllIENDS.  5 

*'  Because  1  read  in  the  Bible  that  God  is  a  God  of 
love,  and  yet  that  He  has  prepared  from  all  eternity  a 
place  of  torment  for  us  poor  pitiful  creatures." 

"  In  my  Bible/'  I  replied,  ''  I  have  never  read  any- 
thing of  the  sort.  I  read  that  God  is  love ;  and  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  say,  at  the  judgment  day,  to  those 
who  have  believed  and  obeyed  Hiip^  'Come,  ye  blessed 
of  my  Father,  intitrit  tho  khigdci.!  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world.'  But  to  those  who 
have  rejected  Ilisj  salvation,  and  despised  His  laws, 
He  will  say,  '  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire 
prepared  for  the  devil  and  Ms  angels.''  If  man  chooses 
to  reject  God's  ofier  of  mercy  through  a  Saviour,  and 
to  prepare  himself  for  that  place  of  punishment,  he 
has  no  rght  to  charge  God  with  the  result  of  his  own 
sin  and  wilful  madness." 

"Well,"  he  replied,  ^'I  do  see  that  is  a  different 
case  from  what  1  thought  before.  But  now,  look 
hetts.  i  am  a  poor  fellow — don't  pretend  nor  profess ; 
yet  I  have  a  quarrel  with  a  mate — feel  to  hate  him — 
will  drub  him  well  next  time  we  light  on  one  another. 
Think  better  of  it — ofier  him  half  my  bread  and 
cheese,  when  we  chance  of  meeting — and  we're  friends. 
Now,  Avhy  can't  Gol  do  a  generous  action  like  that, 
and  forgive  us  outright  ?  " 

"Well,  my  friend,  we  must  try  and  look  at  the 
case  upon  both  sides.  Suppose  a  father  of  a  well- 
trained   family  —  very  obedient  to  his  orders  —  an 


6  MAKING  FRIENDS. 

ornament  to  the  neighbourhood — a  blessing  to  liim 
and  to  each  other.  Suddenly  he  discovers  one  of 
them  has  fallen  into  disobedience  to  him,  and  is 
indulging  in  lying,  swearing,  or  stealing.  What  is 
the  father  to  do  ?  His  tender  heart  says,  '  I  can't  bear 
to  inflict  punishment  on  my  son ; '  his  wise  head  says, 
'  But  if  I  do  not,  disorder,  sin,  and  misery  will  soon 
run  riot  in  my  family.  The  rest  will  say.  Father 
does  not  mind  our  disobeying  him — he  makes  no  dif- 
ference between  the  good  and  the  bad  ;  there  can't  be 
much  harm  in  sin,  then,  after  all.  I  also  will  follow 
my  own  inclinations,  if  nothing  is  to  come  of  it.'  " 

"  Well,  I  see  what  you  mean,  and  it  is  sense,  too. 
But  how  do  you  know  that  God  has  any  other 
family  besides  men?" 

*'  I  know  it  from  His  word.  I  read  of  ^  angels ' 
and  ^  hosts  of  heaven.'  And  '  that  unto  principalities 
and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be  known  by 
the  Church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God.'  But  tell 
me,  when  you  are  at  work  beneath  the  dark  blue 
midnight  sky,  and  iook  up  from  your  shovelful  of 
earth  to  the  thousand  stars  that  are  glittering  there, 
most  of  them  worlds  much  larger  than  this,  do  you 
think  they  are  only  hung  there  for  lanterns?  Do 
you  not  rather  think  that  God,  who  w^astes  nothing 
in  His  creation,  as  we  see  more  the  deeper  we  look 
into  it,  has  probably  peopled  many  of  them  with 
beings  as  intelligent  as  man?      And  what  if   the 


MAKING  FKIENDS.  7 

news  should  be  carried  throughout  God*s  creation, 
that  a  world  had  rebelled  against  Ilim,  and  that 
lie  had  taken  no  notice  of  it — would  not  other 
worlds  be  liable  to  take  the  infection ;  and  sin 
and  its  sister  misery  spread  throughout  God's  beau- 
tiful universe  —  and  blacken  the  whole?  But 
He  has  taken  notice  of  it.  He  has  punished  sin 
with  death.  '  Death  hath  passed  upon  all  men, 
for  that  all  have  sinned.'  And  He  threatens  eternal 
death  to  unrepenting  sinners.     Yet,  ^  God  SO  loved 

THE    WORLD,   THAT    He  GAVE  HiS   ONLY  BEGOTTEN 

Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  Him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.'  that 
Son  of  God  became  man ;  He  was  born  into  this  world 
for  dhe  purpose.  To  bear  the  punishment  due  to 
our  sins.  To  make  an  infinite  sacrifice  with  infinite 
suffering — all  for  one  purpose.  Tliis  is  that  purpose. 
'  The  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save 
THAT  WHICH  WAS  LOST.'  He  is  drawing  nigh — Ho 
is  come  to  you^  now.  He  is  speaking  these  words  of 
His  own  bj  my  feeble  lips.  Are  you  willing  to  let 
Him  save  you?" 

"  I  am,  I  am,"  he  said,  with  fervour,  drawing  his 
chair  nearer  to  me  as  he  spoke.  "  I  never  thought 
of  Him  before  but  as  an  angry  God.  You  make 
Him  out  a  Friend P 

"  And  so  will  you^  when  you  read  His  Word. 
But  I  want  you  to  kneel  down  and  join  with  me  in 


8  MAKING  FIUENDS. 

praying  that  God  would  give  you  His  Holy  Spirit 
from  this  hour — that  these  better  thoughts  and  feel- 
ings may  not  pass  away.     Shall  1  pray  with  you?" 

^'  1  should  like  it.  But  this  man,"  pointing  to 
one  behind  him,  "  never  opens  his  mouth  but  to 
swear." 

"  But  he  will  open  it  to  pray  now.  Will  you  not, 
my  friend?" 

"Yes!" 

And  as  we  all  knelt  together,  their  voices  followed 
mine,  and  two  or  three  sobs  burst  from  those  strong 
men.  As  we  rose  up,  I  told  them  how  much  I  should 
have  liked  to  stay  to  read  with  them ;  but  as  it  was 
growing  late,  would  they  therefore  read  the  Bible 
together  when  I  had  left  ? 

"  1  will  read  to  the  rest,"  said  Edward  ;  and  took 
down  the  landlady's  Bible.  I  opened  it  on  John  iii. 
for  him ;  and  lingered  at  the  door  to  hear  the  full 
tones  of  his  earnest  voice,  and  to  thank  God,  and 
take  courage. 

He  sat  up  reading  on,  in  that  Gospel  of  St  John, 
till  ten  o'clock  that  night.  I  was  told  afterwards 
that  when  speaking  of  our  conversation,  he  said,  "  It 
was  all  true  that  she  said  to  me.  I  felt  it  in  my 
heart." 

We  have  never  met  again.  I  fear  now  that  we 
never  shall  meet  until  the  day  when  we  shall  hear 
those  two  sentences  passed,  the   solemn   words  of 


MAKING  FRIENDS.  9 

which  began  our  friendly  discussion.  He  left  before 
the  Bible  which  I  sent  him  reached  his  lodging. 
Bitterly  have  I  regretted,  ever  since,  a  few  days'  delay 
in  sending  it.  Every  effort  to  trace  him  since  has 
failed.  But  He  who  stood  at  the  door  of  that  honest 
heart  then,  and  knocked,  and  said,  ^^  If  any  man  hear 
my  voice  and  open  the  door,  I  w^ill  come  in  to  him, 
and  sup  with  him  and  he  with  me,"  will,  I  hope  and 
believe,  give  him  the  victory  that  overcometh  the 
world — even  faith — and  say  to  him,  at  the  last,  ^'  To 
him  that  overcometh,  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  on 
my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame  and  have  sat 
down  with  ray  Father  on  his  throne." 

Encouraged  by  the  cordial  reception  given  to  my 
friendly  advances  by  these  strangers,  I  felt  anxious 
to  meet  them  for  the  purpose  of  giving  religious 
instruction  on  the  Sabbath  evenings,  and  twice  in 
the  week;  especially  as  I  found  on  inquiry  that 
few.  if  any,  of  them,  at  that  time,  ever  seemed  to 
think  of  entering  any  place  of  worship.  Some  visits 
to  cottages  where  they  lodged  brought  several  volun- 
teers for  these  Bible  classes  ;  and  two  rooms,  with  an 
open  doorway  between  them,  were  offered  for  the 
purpose.  From  that  time  Testaments  were  given 
to  those  who  attended.     One  evening  as  I  passed  a 

cottage   door,  I  heard  a  man  called  Jacob  K 

reading  from  his  Testament  to  an  Irish  Koman 
Catholic,  who  vrould  not  before  that  day  come  to  the 


10  MAKING  FRIENDS. 

''  readings,"  hut  dropped  in  from  time  to  time  after- 
wards.    Another,  named  Isaac  R, ,  was  laving  tlia 

pipes  at  the  Exhibition,  when  the  earth  fell  in  upon 
him.  He  said,  that  as  he  lost  sight  of  the  sun,  he 
thought  of  the  words  read  at  the  last  cottage  meeting, 
"  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved."  The  earth  was  cleared  away,  and  he  and 
three  others  were  drawn  out  alive,  but  sadly  bruised. 
At  the  time  he  seemed  much  impressed,  but  the 
impression,  alas,  wore  away,  although  his  gratitude 
and  friendly  feeling  always  remained. 


William  G was  one  of  my  earliest  friends 

amongst  the  navvies.  Three  weeks  before  he  came 
here,  a  serious  accident  had  happened  to  him.  He  and 
another  man  were  taken  out  alive  from  under  a  land 
slip,  and  went  to  a  public-house  to  recruit  themselves. 
His  companion  drank  hard,  and  two  hours  afterwards 
fell  down  dead.  "William  was  deeply  shocked,  and 
began  to  pray  that  God  would  lead  him  to  some  place 
where  his  soul  would  be  cared  for.  He  had  been 
well  brought  up  by  a  good  mother,  who  taught  him 
early  to  reverence  the  house  of  God.  But  a  wander- 
ing  life  had  in  some  degree  broken  the  habit,  and 


MAKING  FRIENDS.  11 

rendered  him  careless.  William  intended  to  emi- 
grate to  Australia  in  the  course  of  the  summer  which 
he  spent  at  Bcckenham.  On  the  last  Sunday  in 
July,  he  said  to  me,  '^  I  have  attended  all  the  read- 
ings, ma'am,  since  the  day  you  first  picked  me  up  for 
one,  and  I  bless  God  for  them.  I  should  have  liked 
one  more  before  I  sail.  You  are  going  to  be  away 
next  Sunday,  are  you  not?'' 

"  Yes,  William,  and  perhaps  the  following  Sunday 
also." 

"  Well,  ma'am,  I  am  going  to  Cheshire,  to  bid  my 
mother  good-bye ;  and  if  you  would  come  back  for  the 
second  Sunday,  I  would,  too,  and  have  another  Sun- 
day evening  here  before  I  go  to  Australia." 

This,  of  course,  was  settled  at  once. 

William  returned  to  his  lodging  on  Saturday 
night.  Early  on  Sunday  morning,  I  went  down  to 
see  him.     He  was  looking  out  of  spirits. 

^'  You  have  been  feeling  your  parting  with  your 
mother,  William  ?  " 

^'  Wliy,  the  worst  is,  I  have  not  parted.  I  have 
promised  her  not  to  go.  Mother  had  fretted  herself 
ill.  I  am  her  only  son;  and  she  never  stopped 
fretting  until  I  gave  over  going." 

"  Cheer  up,  then,  William ;  for  God  has  said, 
^  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother,  that  thy  days 
may  be  long  in  the  land.'  God  has  a  blessing  in 
store  for  you,  for  giving  up  your  great  wish  for  the 


12  MAKING  Fill  ENDS. 

sake  of  comforting  your  mother.  I  believe  He  has  a 
great  reason  for  letting  you  be  detained  in  England. 
And  I  cannot  help  being  glad  when  such  men  as  you 
do  not  go  out  of  the  country." 

The  next  day  he  found  he  had  lost  his  work  at 
the  Exhibition  by  his  absence,  and  went  oif  to  Wind- 
sor for  work.  I  went  down  to  invite  him  to  a  pro- 
jected tea-party  j  but  found  he  had  left^  to  ray  great 
disappointment. 

His  landlady  said,  William  had  been  trying  to 
persuade  her  husband  to  go  to  church  with  him  on 
Sunday ;  but  that  the  landlord  answered,  "  It  is  all 
very  well  for  you^  William,  with  your  good  clothes 
and  spruce  boots ;  but  look  at  my  old  slioes  with  the 
holes  in  them.  I  won't  go  till  I  can  go  like  other 
people."     At  once  William  took  off  his  new  boots, 

saying,  "  Take  them,  P ,  and  I  '11  wear  your  old 

shoes,  sooner  than  you  should  not  go  to  the  house  of 
God." 

His  tranquil,  generous  nature  seemed  now  always 
awake  to  be  doing  good.  The  same  morning  that 
he  told  me  he  had  given  up  going  out  to  Australia,  a 
friend  of  his,  who  was  to  have  been  his  ^^  mate " 
thither,  came  in,  and  mentioned  that  he  had  no  Bible. 
William  said,  after  a  moment's  pause,  "  You  won't 
think,  ma'am,  that  I  don't  love  the  little  Bible  you 
gave  me ;  but  hadn't  he  better  have  it  ?  He  may  not 
be  able  to  get  one  out  there." 


MAKING  FRIENDS.  13 

About  the  time  of  first  meeting  William  G ,  I 

addressed  a  youth  of  nineteen  or  twenty,  on  mj  way  to 
the  cottage  where  we  assembled  on  Sunday  evening,  and 

asked  him  his  name,  &c.    His  name  was  John  H . 

His  fair  face,  straight  features,  and  almost  white  hair, 
were  eminently  Saxon,  and  he  himself  the  wildest 
piece  of  nature  I  had  then  seen. 

'•  Will  you  come  to  church  next  Sunday?'- 

^•'  Church !     No ;  I  never  goes  to  such  places !  '* 

"  Will  you  come  to  a  cottage  "where  we  have  a 
Scripture-reading  for  Crystal  Palace  workmen?" 

"  No ;  I  goes  to  nothing  of  that  sort." 

'^  Perhaps  you  would  like  a  little  Testament  to 
carry  in  yom*  w^aistcoat  pocket?" 

"  I  shouldn't  mind  tliat." 

Crossing  the  road,  I  spoke  to  another  young  man. 
who  looked  two  or  three  years  older,  and  received  the 
same  refusals;  but  met  wdth  fixed  attention,  when  I 
told  him  of  my  father's  first  sermon,  and  the  story  of 
a  man,  who  was  called  ''  Swearing  Tom  "  before  he 
heard  it,  and  ''  Praying  Tom  "  ever  after.     Turning 

round,  I  saw  John  H had  followed  me,  and  was 

listening  earnestly. 

"  I  '11  come  now  to  that  'ere  reading  you  spoke  of. 
Where  is  it?" 

"  And  so  will  I,"  said  the  other,  a  ruddy,  fresh- 
faced  youth.     "  I  'm  Henry,  elder  brother  to  he." 

They  came,  and  attended  regularly  from  that  day. 


14  MAKING  FRIENDS. 

Soon  afterwards,  I  carried  the  little  Testament  to 
John's  lodgings ;  he  was  not  at  home.  A  man  and 
a  boy  sat  on  the  door-stone,  and  answered  bj  mono- 
syllables. Presently  some  street  m.usic  was  heard,  and 
a  party  of  young  men  rushed  down  a  by-lane,  dancing 
to  the  measure,  with  John  H at  their  head. 

"  Holloa,  John,"  shouted  the  boy  from  the  door- 
stone,  "2/ere's  our  lady." 

John  came  back,  and  eagerly  seized  his  Testament; 
then  sitting  down  on  the  door-step,  twirled  it  round 
between  his  finger  and  thumb. 

"  Now,  aint  it  a  rare  beauty  ?  I  '11  cover  it  with  a 
slice  off  my  best  red  choker." 

The  first  time  that  many  of  the  navvies  came 
to  the  school-room  service,  was  when  my  father 
lectured — the  evening  after  his  seventy-eighth  birth- 
day. I  went  about  the  village  inviting  our  new 
friends,  and  found  between  thirty  and  forty  who  were 
really  pleased  to  come.  John  brought  some  friends 
with  him. 

On  leaving  Beckenham  for  a  few  days,  I  wrote 
notes  in  printing  characters  to  several  of  these  men, 
to  request  them  to  attend  the  house  of  God  regularly. 
Upwards  of  thirty  responded  to  the  appeal,  on  the 
next  Sunday  morning,  filling  the  middle  aisle,  in 
their  clean  stiff  white  slops.  News  of  this  was 
sent  to  me ;  so  I  wrote  letters  to  thank  them,  and  to 
mention,  that  on  the  following  Thursday  evening  a 


MAKING  FRIENDS.  15 

missionary  meeting  would  be  held  in  the  school-room. 
More  than  forty  came.  After  it  was  over,  I  asked 
John  H if  he  had  received  my  letter  ? 

"  A  letter  for  me ! — all  the  way  from  where  you 
went ! "  And  he  shouted  for  joy.  "  Well,  the  post- 
man did  bring  one,  and  I  said,  'T  aint  for  me.  No- 
body cares  to  write  to  me ;  so  I  sent  it  back.  But 
I  '11  go  and  pull  the  post-office  about  their  ears  if  they 
don't  give  it  me  back  again." 

A  few  days  later,  I  met  John  with  a  noisy,  singing 
party  of  young  men.  On  the  next  Thursday  evening, 
when  I  spoke  to  him,  whilst  the  school-room  bell 
was  ringing  for  the  lecture,  he  looked  very  much 
ashamed,  and  said  in  a  low  tone,  "  You  aint  agoing 
to  ask  me  to  come  to  the  lecture  after  the  way  you 
heard  me  shouting  the  other  evening  ?  I  had  been  to 
the  '  public'  " 

"  I  was  sure  of  it,  John.  But  still,  I  want  you  to 
come  this  evening." 

"  No,  never  again." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because  it  don't  do  to  live  two  Uves.''^ 

"  I  know  it,  John;  and  that 's  the  reason  I  want  you 
to  come  to-night,  and  to  begin  all  over  again.  The 
Saviour  of  the  world  invites  you  to  come  and  be 
pardoned.  Come  and  hear  about  Him  now.  Don't 
put  it  oif.  You  may  never  have  another  Thursday 
evening." 


16  MAKING  FRIENDS. 

"  I  '11  come,  then.     And  I  '11  bring  six !  " 

True  to  his  word,  he  came,  marshalling  six  com- 
rades with  a  leader's  pride.  From  that  time,  he  regu- 
larly attended  the  services  and  readings. 

Soon  after  this,  it  occurred  to  us  that  it  would  be 
a  pleasant  little  plan  to  have  a  tea-party  for  our  new 
friends,  who,  from  their  wandering  life,  seem  so  much 
cut  off  from  innocent  social  enjoyments.  We  also 
felt  it  would  be  an  expression  of  approbation  of  their 
attendance  upon  public  worship,  and  at  school-room 
and  cottage-readings.  As  it  was  the  height  of  sum- 
mer, the  late  hour  at  which  they  returned  from  their 
work  was  no  hindrance  to  their  accepting  invitations 
to  a  tea  party,  which  were  duly  sent  to  each  man, 
and  were  received  with  a  kind  of  subdued  excite- 
ment. Orders  were  given  for  shirts  and  smock- 
frocks  (technically  termed  "slops")  to  be  washed 
and  starched  with  double  care,  and  a  large  supply  of 
soap  was  bought  up  for  the  occasion. 

The  school-room  was  decorated  with  festoons  of 
flowers,  and  a  button-hole  bouquet  of  geranium  and 
jessamine  was  tied  up  with  blue  ribbon,  and  laid 
upon  each  plate. 

Long  afterwards,  I  saw  some  of  these  flowers  care- 
fully preserved  in  books  ! 

Whilst  we  were  arranging  these  important  matters, 

with  no  small  joy  we  saw  William  G 's  calm, 

happy  face  at  the  gate.      A  letter  from  one  of  hi^i 


MAKING  FRIENDS.  ]  7 

Mends  had  advised  him  of  the  coming  event^  and 
he  had  returned  from  Windsor  to  take  his  seat  at  the 
tea-table. 

To  a  minute,  at  the  appointed  time,  our  friends 
arrived ;  each  man  looking  as  clean  as  a  baby  on 
its  christening  day.  Faces  and  hands  had  been 
scrubbed  till  they  shone  again.  They  quietly  and 
quickly  seated  themselves ;  and  no  gentlemen  in  the 
United  Kingdom  could  have  conducted  themselves 
more  admirably. 

There  was  no  constraint  of  manner;  on  the  contrary, 
perfect  ease.  There  was  no  loud  talking,  but  many 
a  cheerful  remark.  Not  an  expression  was  used 
which  we  could  have  wished  had  been  otherwise ;  but 
the  frank  and  hearty  enjoyment  of  the  evening  was 
deiightful  to  see. 

Some  good  pictures,  and  a  missionary  transparency 
were  shewn  them  ;  and  "  God  Save  the  Queen"  was 
sung  early  in  the  evening.  Towards  its  close,  my 
father  addressed  them ;  and  concluded  with  prayer, 
and  the  hymn,  beginning — 

**  Come,  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs, 
With  angels  round  the  throne," 

in  which  they  all  joined  with  great  zest. 

As  the  clock  struck  ten,  the  chief  speaker  amongst 
them,  after  a  short  conference  with  the  leaders  of  the 
party,  said,  "  We  have  taken  up  a  great  deal  of  the 
ladies'  time,  and  had  better  go  now."     Several  said^ 

B 


18  MAKING  FRIENDS. 

as  they  went  out,  **  Kever  spent  a  happier  evening 
— never,  nohow !  " 

As  they  walked  through  the  village,  it  was  ar- 
ranged, by  universal  consent,  that  not  one  should  bo 
absent  from  the  school-room  lecture  the  ensuing  even- 
ing. "  It  would  look  so !  as  if  they  only  came  foi 
tea  and  cake." 

William    G was    "  set   on "    again    at    the 

Crystal  Palace  work  the  next  day,  and  returned  to 
his  former  lodging  in  the  village,  to  our  true  con- 
tent. 

On  Saturday  evening,  August  13th,  William  M 

came  *^to  speak  about  his  difficulties,"  he  said,  "if 
it  was  not  giving  too  much  trouble." 

"  My  mate  and  I  were  working  in  a  pit ;  and, 
says  he,  ^  I  wonder.  Bill,  whether  it  is  true  what 
they  say  of  heaven  being  so  happy — whether,  now,  it 
can  be  liappier  than  sitting  in  the  public,  over  a  good 
jug  of  ale,  with  a  fiddle  going?  I  don't  know  a 
pleasure  as  comes  up  to  that.'  " 

I  thought  of  their  homeless  lives,  and  wishing  to 
sympathise  as  far  as  I  could,  said,  "  Well,  I  dare  say 
you  do  find  a  pleasure  in  it." 

"A pleasure!"  he  inteiTupted  me,  to  exclaim,  "you 
can't  think  the  pleasure  of  it!  "  with  an  earnestness 
that  was  truly  affecting,  as  the  thought  arose,  "  Is 
this  the  highest  pleasure  within  the  grasp  of  these 
noble  fellows?" 


MAKING  FRIENDS.  19 

"  But  that  pleasure  must  p^ss  away,  William,  and 
you  must  die.  Would  that  pleasure  help  you  to  '  die 
happy/  and  to  live  in  happiness  beyond  death?" 

"  No !  If  you  come  to  that,  I  Ve  seen  the  two  ways 
of  dying.  I  had  an  uncle.  You  couldn't  come  into 
his  room  for  horrors  when  he  was  dying — saw  terrible 
things.  And  I  had  a  grandfather — he  loved  his  Bible 
— died  a'most  too  full  of  peace.  Couldn't  speak  for 
joy,  like." 

"  And  which  way  of  dying  are  you  bound  for,  Wil- 
liam?" 

"  Well"  (with  a  navvy's  usual  slow  enunciation 
and  pauses  in  the  course  of  giving  utterance  to  any 
religious  sentiment),  "I  think — I'd  rather — setoff — 
to  live  so  as  to  die  like  grandfather." 

This  same  William  M came  up  to  the  Rectory 

the  night  before  the  tea-party,  to  say  that  seven  men 
who  had  not  sent  in  their  names,  so  as  to  receive  notes 
of  invitation,  were  waiting  outside  the  gate,  "  too  shy 
to  come  in." 

I  went  out  to  speak  to  the  shy  seven,  and  as  they 
received  their  notes,  William  said,  "  It  will  be  so 
pleasant  to  us  to  talk  of  the  tea-party  when  we  meet 
one  another  by  chance  hundreds  of  miles  away." 

On  Sunday  night,  after  the  services  of  the  day  were 
over,  they  assembled  on  the  Eectory  lawn  to  take 
leave  of  us,  before  we  left  home  for  some  weeks,  and 
to  receive  prayer-books,  as  an  encouragement  to  con- 


20  MAKING  FRIENDS. 

tinue  attending  Divine  service,  and  to  assist  them  in 
attention  and  devotion. 

When  each  man  stepped  up  to  the  hall  door,  to 
have  his  name  written  in  his  book,  after  having 
listened  to  farewell  words,  there  were  not  many  dry- 
eyes  ;  and  we  parted  with  a  solemn  impression  that 
we  should  never  meet  all  together  again  in  this  world. 

The  next  day  a  fearful  accident  befel  a  large  num- 
ber of  the  Crystal  Palace  workmen.  A  scaffolding 
gave  way,  and  in  its  fall  crushed  out  the  strong  young 
life  from  some  of  those  manly  forms  in  a  moment. 
Without  a  warning,  they  passed  into  eternity. 

Oh !  were  they  keady  ?  Or  was  even  their  last 
breath  a  cry  for  mercy  to  Him  whose  ear  is  ever  open, 
and  who  stipulates  not  for  time  nor  for  repetition 
when  He  says,  "  Whosoever  shall  call  upou  the 
name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved." 


CHAPTEB   II. 

(&Mxm\m  M)i  i'mt  ([^mm^mru 


"  A  sacred  burden  is  the  life  ye  bear; 
Look  on  it,  lift  it,  bear  it  solemnly ; 
Stand  np  and  walk  beneath  it  steadfastly; 
Pail  not  for  sorrow,  falter  not  for  sin ; 
Bat  onward,  upward,  till  the  goal  ye  win. 
God  guard  ye,  and  God  guide  ye  on  your  way, 
Tvroig  pilgrim-warriors  who  set  forth  to-day. ' 


It  was  a  great  relief  to  hear  that  none  of  the  men 
■whom  we  had  known  best,  had  suffered  from  the  fatal 
accident  of  the  15th  of  August. 

During  the  time  of  our  ahsence,  in  Ireland,  the 
navvies  continued  to  attend  the  school-room  lectures 
in  large  numbers ;  and  some  came,  for  the  sake  of  fur- 
ther instruction,  to  Mr  Chalmers'  and  his  curate's  cate- 
chetical lectures  to  the  candidates  for  confirmation. 
Five  navvies  persevered  in  their  wish  to  be  confirmed.* 
One  of  these  young  men,  named  James  Hewson,  was 
only  able  to  remain  in  Beckenham  for  about  three 
weeks  atter  his  confirmation,  as  just  at  that  time 
fewer  workmen  were  rec[uired  in  the  Crystal  Palace 
grounds.  His  manner  of  devout  attention  at  church 
and  at  the  cottage  readings,  and  his  earnest  desire  to 
find  work  anywhere  in  the  neighbourhood,  so  as  to 
enable  him  to  remain  in  Beckenham,  interested  me 
not  a  little.  After  all  his  efforts  to  find  work  within 
daily  walking  distance  had  failed,  he  called  to  say 

*  The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  confirmed  them,  afterwai-da 
expressed  both  interest  and  satisfaction  in.  their  solemn  and  devout  nian* 
ner,  as  they  knelt,  alone,  the  last  of  the  candidates  to  receive  the  rite. 


24  CONFIRMATION  AND  FIRST  COMMUNION. 

good-"bye.  He  was  very  young  and  sailor-like  in  his 
appearance,  with  an  open,  true  face,  and  broad, 
strong  shoulders.  As  he  stood  in  the  doorway  of 
my  sitting-room,  after  a  parting  prayer,  with  a  chok- 
ing voice  he  said,  ^'  You  've  been  a  mother  to  me. 
As  long  as  I  live  I  shall  never  forget  you.  And 
God  grant  I  may  practise  what  you've  taught  me.'' 

Shortly  afterwards  the  following  letter  was  re- 
ceived : — 

"November  11,  1853. 

"Dear  Madam, — I  now  take  the  pleasure  of 
writing  to  you.  I  do  hope  you  are  in  good  health, 
as  it  leaves  me  at  this  time,  thank  God  for  it.  I 
often  wish  I  had  stopped  at  Beckenham.  I  went  to 
Birmingham  to  work,  but  did  not  like  to  stop  there, 
for  there  was  nothing  to  do  me  any  good.  It  was  a 
wild  and  drunken  set  about  me.  It  did  not  suit  me 
at  all.  I  want  to  be  somewhere  where  it  is  more 
still,  so  that  I  can  do  what  is  right  in  living  for  God. 

"  1  always  think  of  the  words  and  good  advice  you 
gave  me  when  .1  left.  It  never  leaves  me.  I  am 
sorry  to  say  that  I  have  been  far  from  being  right, 
but  I  hope  that  the  Lord  will  help  me,  and  give  me 
a  new  heart,  and  teach  me  to  do  better  than  I  have 
done  before.  I  want  to  be  nearer  and  dearer  to  Him 
who  gave  Himself  loi  me.  Your  prayers,  I  believe, 
has  reached  me,  I  feel  such  a  pressure  on  me. 

"  I  hope  the  Lord  will  have  mercy  on  me,  a  poor 


CONFIRMATION  AND  FIRST  COMMUNION.  25 

sinner,  and  bring  me  in  tlie  right  way  for  heaven. 
Oh  that  I  may  never  turn  away  from  Him  no  moi-e, 
but  ever  live  to  Him  who  sent  His  only-begotten  Son 
to  die  for  me,  and  all  to  redeem  us  from  sin. 

"  May  He  watch  and  keep  a  guard  over  us,  and 
bring  us  all  to  heaven,  to  sit  at  His  right  hand,  for 
the  Redeemer's  sake.  0  Lord,  do  thou  help  us, 
and  bring  us  to  thy  heavenly  throne  of  grace ! 

"  From  Birmingham  I  went  to  Liverpool,  but 
there  was  very  little  work  there,  and  a  great  many 
hands  out  of  employ,  so  I  came  into  Staffordshire, 
to  my  brothers.  I  think,  if  I  stop  about  here,  of  work- 
ing in  a  coal-pit,  near  to  my  brothers.  If  there  was 
plenty  of  work  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  I  would  come 
to  Beckenham  again.  I  long  to  be  near  you  again. 
— I  remain  your  humble  scholar, 

"  James  Hewson." 

Then  came  another  letter,  written  in  gi'cat  distress 
at  having  received  no  reply.  He  had  forgotten  to 
give  me  any  address.  Before  I  could  obtain  it  by 
inquiring  amongst  his  friends,  he  had  sailed  for 
America. 

One  more  letter  has  been  received  from  him,  en- 
treating some  advice  for  his  soul,  which  he  said  was 
in  great  danger.  But  as  "Kansas  Territory"  was 
its  only  date,  I  have  little  hope  that  my  answer  ever 
reached  Lim.     It  is  painful  to  be  unable  to  assure 


26  CONFIRMATION  AND  FIRST  COMMUNION. 

him  that  his  manly,  grateful  young  spirit  has  never 
been  forgotten,  and  that  his  name  is  rememhered  in 
prayer  to  this  day,  that  he  may  ^'be  faithful  unto 
death,"  and  ^'receive  a  crown  of  life." 

It  may  be  that  we  shall  meet  next  in  the  presence 
of  Him  who  has  said,  "  If  ye  shall  ask  anything  in 
my  name,  I  will  do  it."  "  And  this  is  the  confidence 
that  we  have  in  him,  that  if  we  ask  anything  accord- 
ing to  his  will,  he  heareth  us."  * 


William  G had  been  confirmed  in  his  boyhood ; 

and  as  his  life  was  bearing  testimony  to  the  reality  of 
the  change  in  him,  it  was  pressed  upon  him  that  he 
should  come  and  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  with  his 
five  mates,  on  the  Sunday  following  the  confirmation. 

A  book  had  been  lent  him,  named  ^'  Thoughts  on 
the  Lord's  Supper,"  by  Thomas  Doolittle.  It  had 
been  diligently  studied ;  and  William's  quiet,  con- 
sistent walk  and  conversation  was  remarked  by  all 
his  companions. 

On  the  previous  Saturday  night,  he  called  to  see 
me.  "I  have  given  np  coming  to  the  Lord's  Table." 
His  countenance  was  sad  as  he  spoke. 

*  If  this  book  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  any  relative  or  friend  of 
James  Hewson,  the  "vriter  would  be  greatly  obliged  for  any  inforn>j«.tion 
concerning  him« 


0»  TH« 

CONFIRMATION  ANDiFJJ5|  CQ^tfWfattlflVl 

"  Oh,  William,  this  is  a  grie' 
to  me." 

"  I  knew  it  would  be.  And  it  is  worse  to  me. 
IBeckenham  has  been,  I  believe,  my  birthplace  for 
heaven.  So  here  I  would  have  liked,  of  all  places, 
to  come  for  the  first  time  for  the  Lord's  Supper.  But, 
you  see,  I  live  in  the  world,  and  there  is  a  tempting 
devil,  and  I  have  an  evil  heart.  And  if  I  make  a 
slip  after  that^  they  '11  say,  '  There  goes  your  Sacra- 
ment man.'  And  it  will  bring  a  shame  on  the  name 
of  my  Lord.     And  that  I  could  not  bear." 

All  this  was  spoken,  as  is  usual  with  William, 
slowly  and  reverently. 

"  Well,  dear  friend,  I  too  live  in  the  world,  and 
have  an  evil  heart,  and  there  is  a  tempting  devil  for 
me.  But  just  for  all  this,  I  find  the  deeper  need  of 
obedience  to  my  Lord's  last  command,  '  Do  this  in 
remembrance  of  me.'  My  feeble  faith  needs  the 
strengthening ;  my  shallow  humility,  the  deepening ; 
my  cold  love,  the  warming,  which  I  find  by  the  Holy 
Spirit's  blessing  upon  the  sacrament  of  our  Lord's 
Supper.  Never  does  sin  seem  so  hateful  to  me  as  when 
I  receive  the  remembrancers  of  the  death  it  cost  Him." 

He  listened  with  fast  filling  eyes. 

"  Your  faith  does  not  waver,  does  it,  William? 
You  believe  in  God  as  your  Father?" 

^^Yes." 

"  In  Jesus  Christ  as  your  Saviour?" 


28  CONFIRMATION  AND  FIKST  COMMUNION. 

'^  Yes." 

^'  And  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  God  willing  to  dwell 
with  man?" 

^'  Yes ;  and  I  have  asked  Him  to  dwell  with  me. 
And  what 's  more,  He  has  come.  Only  I  want  more 
of  Him." 

I  then  led  him  to  Mr  Chalmers'  study,  and  asked 
him  to  converse  with  William  about  his  present  doubt 
and  difficulty.  Mr  Chalmers  said,  "  William,  can 
you  tell  me  to  whom  our  Lord  administered  His  last 
Supper?" 

"  To  His  twelve  apostles,  sir." 

"  And  what  did  Peter  do,  within  a  few  hours  later?" 

"  Denied  Him,  with  oaths  and  curses." 

"  Did  our  Lord  foreknow  this  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  He  must." 

"  Then,  why  did  He  allow  him  to  partake  of  it  ?" 

After  a  few  moments'  thought,  ^'  I  suppose,  sir, 
He  knew  that  he  had  grace  enough  left  to  bring  him 
back  again,  and  set  it  all  straight." 

"  Right,  William.  And  has  He  not  restoring 
grace,  and  preserving  grace,  too,  enough  for  you?  " 

"  Thank  you,  sir ;  I  see.  I  believe.  I  am  satisfied. 
By  God's  help,  I  shall  come." 

He  came.  And  it  was  a  thing  to  thank  God  for, 
to  see  his  serenely  peaceful  face  as  he  left  the  house 
of  God,  after  his  first  communion. 

From  that  time,  all  who  were  much  with  him. 


CONFIRMATION  AND  FIRS  T  COMMUNION.  29 

"  took  knowledge  of  him  that  he  had  been  with 
Jesus." 

Soon  after  that  Sacrament  Sunday,  William  went 
to  Deptford  to  work  at  the  docks.  But  the  first  Sun- 
day in  every  month  was  spent  in  Beckenham.  The 
two  services  in  the  church,  and  the  Sacrament,  seemed 
to  be  a  deep  and  sacred  delight  to  him ;  and  he  never 
returned  at  night  until  after  meeting  for  prayer  and 
reading  the  Bible  at  the  cottage,  which,  he  said^ 
always  seemed  "  like  his  cradle  in  the  new  life  !  " 

On  the  first  Sunday,  he  dined  with  the  servants  at 
the  Kectory ;  but  afterwards  ate  his  own  dinner  on  a 
stile  in  one  of  the  meadows.  On  being  pressed  to 
say  why  he  would  not  come  in  to  dine  every  Sunday 
when  he  had  walked  over  to  Beckenham,  he  replied, 
"  Why,  you  see,  ma'am,  the  world  talks !  And  if 
they  said,  ^  Here 's  your  Sacrament  man  coming  for 
his  good  dinner ! '  don't  you  see  the  harm  it  would 
do  to  the  Name  by  which  I  am  called?" 

One  evening  he  visited  with  me  a  man  with  whom 
he  had  worked  at  the  Crystal  Palace  grounds ;  and 
finding  he  was  in  distress,  slipped  back,  unperceived 
by  me,  to  put  a  sovereign  quietly  into  his  !^and. 

This  must  have  been  an  effort  of  faith,  as  well  as  a 
mark  of  generosity  and  kindness  ;  for  he  believed  he 
had  then  just  discovered  the  loss  of  thirty  shillings, 
and  did  not  remember  that  he  had  left  them  in 
the  pocket  of  his  working  clothes,  until  after  his 


30  CONFIEMATION  AND  FIRST  COMMUNION. 

return  to  Deptford.      This  he  mentioned  to  nie  whe-n 

I    told   him  that   James   W wished  to   return 

part  of  the  money,  and  inquired  whether  he  really 
could  afford  so  large  a  sum.  ^'  Oh,  fairly,  thank  you, 
ma'am,  and  find  myself  thirty  shillings  richer  than  I 
thought  I  was." 

A  day  or  two  afterwards  I  received  the  following 
letter : — 

"January  6,  1854. 

'■^  Dear  Madam, — I  now  take  the  liberty  to  write 
these  few  lines  to  you.  I  received  your  letter  with 
great  pleasure,  and  thank  you  for  it.  I  am  afraid  I 
am  giving  you  a  deal  of  trouble.  The  tract  you  sent 
in  your  letter  is  a  very  instructive  and  pretty  one. 
I  can  only  recompense  your  kindness  to  me  by  my 
prayers,  that  your  own  intercourse  with  God  may  be 
abundantly  blessed  to  you  and  to  all  with  whom  you 

speak.     I  saw  Jacob  K last  Sunday,  and  I  had 

a  little  talk  with  him,  but  I  think  he  seems  quite 
altered;  he  would  not  come  to  any  point,  but  appeared 
to  want  to  talk  of  different  trifling  things,  so  that  I 
cannot  give  you  any  satisfactory  account ;  but  we 
must  pray  for  him,  and  hope  that  he  thinks  more 
than  he  appears  to  do.  I  often  think  of  those  words 
that  the  Lord  said  to  Elijah,  when  Elijah  complained 
of  being  the  only  prophet  left  of  the  L.«^'d:  '•  Yet,'  He 
said,  ^  have  I  prepared  me  seven  thousand  in  Israel.' 
I  think  this  should  give  us  great  encouragement; 


CONFIRMATION  AND  FIRST  COMMUNION.  31 

thougli  he  may  seem  careless,  let  us  not  give  up  pray- 
ing that  little  prayer  of  yours — ^  Fill  him  with  the 
Holy  Ghost; 

"  I  felt  much  last  Sunday  morning  under  Mr 
Chalmers'  sermon.  I  think  he  was  in  great  earnest. 
Let  us  pray  it  may  make  others  in  great  earnest  about 
their  souls. 

^'  Dear  Madam,  the  three  half-sovereigns  I  found  all 
right;  I  had  left  them  in  other  trousers  pockets,  for- 
getting to  take  them  out.  Your  letter  stated  I  must 
send  you  word  which  of  the  Beckenham  lodgers  I 
should  see,  and  you  would  send  by  him  a  purse  for 
me.  I  am  much  obliged  to  you,  it  is  very  kind  of 
you ;  but  as  I  shall  come  to  Beckenham,  if  God  will 
and  nothing  turns  out  more  than  I  expect,  next  Sacra- 
ment Sunday,  I  will  not  trouble  you  to  send  it.  So 
now  I  must  conclude,  dear  friend. — From  your  affec- 
tionate son  in  the  Lord, 

"William  G . 

"  If  I  err  in  boldness,  pray  pardon  me. 

"  I  consider  the  Saviour  saying  to  you  as  He  did  to 
Peter,  ^Lovest  thou  me?'  and  may  your  heartfelt  ex- 
perience say,  ^  Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things  j  thou 
knowest  that  I  love  thee." 

Henry  Hunns  also,  who  had  just  been  confirmed, 
was  deeply  affected  by  his  first  communion.     It  waff 


32  CONFIRMATION  AND  FIRST  COMMUNION. 

some  weeks  afterwards  that  he  said  to  me,  ''  Them 
tears  that  Sabbath  day  were  pleasanter  than  the  best 
smiles  I  ever  had  on."  He  was  a  much  more  de- 
monstrative character  than  William,  and  had  none  of 
his  peculiar  composure  and  self-possession.  The 
warm  heart  was  in  his  glowing  face  and  ready  speech, 
and,  that  day,  in  his  fast-flowing  tears.  He  seemed 
only  just  able  to  check  a  sob,  under  the  remembrance 
of  the  quiet  solemnity  of  the  service  and  the  place. 

During  a  few  weeks  absence  from  Beckenham,  he 
wrote  the  following  letter  : — 

"  November  16  1853 
^'  Madam, — i  received  your  Kind  Letter  and  was 
very  glad  for  your  kind  advice  and  i  tell  you  the 
truth  i  am  a  tetotaler  and  by  the  Grace  of  Cjd  and 
health  and  strength  i  shall  continue  my  six  weeks  of 
it  and  i  hope  by  blesings  of  God  i  shall  never  drink 
the  same  again  as  i  have  done  for  i  have  been  very 
wricked  all  my  life  and  i  hope  and  trust  that  the 
Saviour  of  sinners  will  help  me  to  fight  manfully 
under  Christs  banner  against  the  world  the  flesh  and 
the  Devil  and  above  all  let  me  say  teach  me  to  do 
thy  will  O  Lord  and  keep  thy  commandments  and 
may  the  Saviour  of  sinners  help  me  to  do  so  for  i  have 
been  a  Great  friend  of  the  devil  for  20  years  and  i 
am  often  sorrey  when  I  think  about  it  but  praised  be 
the  Lord  he  had  compassion  on  me  and  spared  my 


CONFIRMATION  AND  FIRST  COMMUNION.  33 

Life  from  being  in  hell  for  i  could  not  have  expected 
nothing  else  had  he  eut  me  down  in  my  sins  but 
thank  God  their  is  a  Saviour  daily  pleading  for  me 
may  i  not  Greive  his  holy  Spirit  but  watch  and  pray 
that  i  may  not  enter  into  temtation  and  in  the  hour  of 
temtation  may  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
help  me  to  Look  up  and  say  God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner  and  teach  me  to  be  on  my  watch  at  the  hour  of 
temtation  for  that  very  often  is  the  time  when  Satan 
lead  me  by  the  hand  where  he  like  to  Get  me  in  the 
publick  house  and  make  a  beast  of  Myself  but  may 
God  help  me  by  his  Grace  to  say  Get  thee  behind, 
me  Satan  for  i  have  been  thy  servant  two  long  already 
Lord  may  I  cling  to  the  Crucified  may  his  death  be 
life  to  me  life  for  eternity  so  now  kind  friend  i  con- 
clude with  my  best  wishes  to  you  and  hope  you  will 
enjoy  a  state  of  Good  health  as  I  have  at  present  I 
remain  a  tetotaler  and  by  the  Grace  of  God  I  shall 
continue  so.  Henry  Hunns." 

During  the  winter,  the  attendance  of  the  navvies  at 
church  continued  to  be  large  and  regular:  and  the 
cottages, where  "readings"  were  given,  were  thronged. 

On  the  last  day  of  1853,  the  sergeant  of  the  police, 
stationed  at  Beckenham,  called  to  return  thanks  for 
the  interest  that  had  been  taken  in  these  noble  fellows. 
He  said  that  his  duty  had  never  been  so  easy  before 
in  Beckenham,  for  their  example  had  restrained  tho 

c 


34  CONFIRMATION  AND  FIRST  COMMUNION. 

wilder  young  men  of  the  place,  and  had  even  shamed 
a  few  into  attendance  at  public  worship. 

So,  we  wrote  at  the  close  of  onr  first  year's  inter- 
course with  the  navvies — "  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord 
helped  us." 


CHAPTER    III 


**  Tis  a  rich,  rough  gem— deny  it  wLo  ca&, 
Tte  heart '-^  ft  true-born  Eng'/ahman." 


On  New  Year's  Day,  1854,  when  I  was  on  my  way  to 

visit  James  W- ,  I  met  Henry  Hunns,  and  gave 

him  the  Bible  which  had  been  promised  him  in  re- 
membrance of  his  first  day  of  partaking  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  He  told  me  that  he  "  had  felt  more  peace- 
able-like" in  his  mind,  since  cur  conversation  and 
prayer  the  evening  before ;  and,  with  an  expression  of 
deep  and  earnest  feeling  in  his  honest  face,  he  added, 
that  he  "  did  so  hope  he  should  not  be  permitted  to 
fall  away." 

Poor  James  W had  been  suffering  severely  dur- 
ing the  night,  and  was  obliged  to  give  up  his  cherished 
hope  of  coming  with  his  "  mates  "  to  the  morning 
service  and  sacrament.  Two  or  three  of  his  friends 
were  by  his  side,  and  had  been  uniting  in  prayer.  I 
took  the  opportunity  of  giving  them  their  Bibles, 
with  which  they  were  delighted  ;  and  especially  with 
the  texts  written  in  them  on  the  subject  of  the  sacra- 
ment. 

William  G was  in  church,  and  remained  for 

the  communion  with  Charles  F ,  Edward  G • 


B8  HONEST  HEARTS. 

William  C ,  and  Henry  Hunns.     They  were  all 

very  serious  and  earnest  in  their  deportment,  and 
seemed  to  realise  the  solemnity  of  the  service  in  which 
they  had  been  engaged. 

William  G walked  up  with  me  in  the  evening 

to  the  cottage  reading.  On  our  way,  we  called  at  Gib- 
bon's lodging-house,  to  inquire  why  George  P ,  bet- 
ter known  amongst  his  companions  as  ^'tall  George," 
was  absent  from  the  last  week's  readings.  He  was 
there,  cap  in  hand,  but  unwilling  to  come.  "  Paget 
had  been  so  rule  to  him  of  late — I  a  'd  as  good  as 
determined  never  to  set  foot  inside  his  house  again." 

"Oh,  George,  then  you  mind  more  about  Paget 
than  you  do  about  me.  I  care  for  your  soul,  and 
want  to  ask  you  to-night  to  set  out  in  earnest  on  the 
road  to  heaven ;  and  it  will  vex  me  if  you  do  nol 
come." 

"  Well,  now  !  1  care  more  lor  you,  ma'am,  than 
for  Paget,  a  thousand  times.  So,  I  '11  not  mind  aboui 
him  being  rude.     I  think  I  '11  go." 

Just  before  I  had  left  the  Eectory,  a  basket  had 
been  brought  me,  furnished  with  writing  and  work- 
ing materials,  and  intended  to  carry  Testaments  and 

tracts.      A  letter  was  inside  it,  from  Isaac  R , 

Thomas   Dibley,   Thomas  Paget,  William  M , 

Frederick  E ,  and  John   D ,  begging    my 

acceptance  of  it,  "  to  remind  me  of  them  when  they 
are  many  miles  away."     I  found  Isaac,  Frederick, 


HONEST  HEARTS.  89 

and  Paget,  at  Mrs  Elliott's.  They  seemed  de- 
lighted to  see  my  pleasure  in  their  gift ;  and  Isaac 
said,  "  They  hoped  the  books  in  that  basket  would 
do  a  power  of  good  to  a  many  souls  ;  though  it  might 
be,  the  books  I  had  given  them  had  not  yet  done 
them  so  much  good  as  they  should,  by  this  time." 

After  a  pause,  and  re-examination  of  the  contents 
of  the  basket,  Paget  said,  "  I  am  sorry  to  say  any- 
thing to  vex  you ;  but  I  'd  best  speak  it  out.  If  tall 
George  comes  to-night  to  the  reading,  I  shall  order 
him  out." 

"Oh,  Paget,  why  so?" 

"  Because  he  said  at  the  works,  as  I  stole  a  medal 
off  your  Christmas-tree,  that  last  tea-party  you  gave 
us." 

"  How  very  wrong  of  him !  But  if  I  were  you,  I 
would  not  take  any  notice ;  even  if  he  said  that  you 
stole  a  hundred.  No  judge  or  jury,  looking  at  your 
honest  face,  could  ever  say  anything  but  ^  Not 
Guilty!'" 

Paget  listened  with  a  broad,  hearty  smile,  which 
grew  into  a  short  laugh  of  satisfaction;  but  Isaac 
could  not  so  easily  pass  over  the  affront  offered  to  his 
friend  ;  so  he  said, 

"  It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  have  such  a  good  opinion 
of  us ;  but  it  is  not  pleasant  to  be  pointed  at  all  over 
the  works,  as  him  as  stole  a  medal  off  the  Ladies* 
Christmas-tree." 


4Q  HONEST  HEARTS. 

"No,"  added  Paget,  stoutly;  "I'll  order  George 
out." 

"  Oh  no,  Paget !  you  will  not,  I  am  sure.  You 
lend  me  your  room  for  a  church  !  Now,  if  anybody 
were  to  say,  Mr  Chalmers  was  a  thief,  he  would  not 
order  that  man  out  of  church,  but  would  let  him  stay 
to  learn  not  to  bear  false  witness  against  his  neigh- 
bour." 

"Well,  I  see!  That's  very  good.  Tall  George 
may  stay." 

George,  however,  was  invisible,  having  taken  his 
place  in  the  inner  room.  After  the  little  congrega- 
tion had  dispersed,  I  asked  Paget  whether  he  did  not 
think  a  Sunday  and  a  New  Year's  Day  in  one,  would 
be  a  delightful  day  for  making  up  a  quarrel ;  and 
therefore  whether  he  would  forgive  George,  if  he 
fchould  come  and  tell  him  he  felt  sorry  for  what  he 
had  said  ? 

"  Well,  it  would  be  a  goodish  thing,  I  think." 

On  the  strength  of  this  I  walked  back  to  George's 

lodging,  with  William  G ,  who  was  waiting  with 

my  lantern  in  his  hand,  to  see  me  safe  within  the 
Kectory  gate  before  he  returned  to  Deptford. 

"May  I  not  go  back  with  you  and  George, 
ma'am?" 

"  No,  thank  you,  William.  It  would  make  Paget 
and  George  think  I  was  afraid  of  a  fight  coming  on, 
and  wanted  you  to  take  care  of  me.     That  would 


HONEST  HEARTS.  41 

never  do.  It  would  be  all  over  with  my  hope  of 
making  peace." 

"  That 's  true  !     And  God  will  go  with  you." 

George  was  at  supper  with  four  fellow-lodgers. 
He  came  out  of  the  house  to  speak  to  me — standing 
up  like  a  church-tower,  in  his  massive  height  and 
strength.  ^'  George,  I  am  sorry  about  this  matter 
between  you  and  Paget." 

"  Well,  I  daresay  you  are ;  but  I  am  not.  What 
business  had  he  to  say  that  I  drank  ten  cups  of  tea, 
and  ate  seven  bits  of  cake  at  your  tea-meeting  ?  " 

''  Indeed,  that  was  bad  manners,  George ;  and  I  am 
surprised  to  hear  it  of  Paget.  But  if  I  had  been  you, 
I  would  have  answered,  if  I  had  eaten  a  dozen  slices 
of  cake,  and  drank  twenty  cups  of  tea,  she  would 
only  have  been  the  better  pleased." 

'^  Well !  that  would  have  been  a  good  'un !  I  wish 
I'd  thought  on 't." 

"  So  do  I.  But  if  you  did  not  think  of  a  ready 
answer,  you  had  no  right  to  say  that  Paget  stole  a 
medal.  He  never  said  that  you  stole  the  seven  bits 
of  cake." 

^^  I  didn't  say  he  stole  it.  I  said,  I  seed  two 
medals  in  his  hand,  and  never  seed  him  put  down 
neither." 

"  Oh  !  George,  that  was  almost  wcrse.  It  was  so 
mean.  I  could  not  have  thought  it  of  you.  And 
then  the  next  person  said  he  had  stolen  it — and  so 


42  HONEST  IIEAIITS. 

the  story  went  round.  How  sorry  y«>u  oiiglit  to  have 
felt  when  you  heard  it." 

"  No,  I  wasn't ;  I  was  very  glad." 

"  That  was  very  wrong.  But  you  are  growing 
sorry  now  ?     Come  with  me  and  tell  him  so." 

''  No,  I  can't — no,  never." 

"  Then  I  shall  go  home  sorry." 

After  a  short  pause,  and  with  a  strong  eiSbrt,  he 
rejoined,  "No,  no,  you  shan't  do  that,  for  my  doings. 
I'll  go  to  Paget." 

When  we  reached  the  cottage  door,  I  knocked 
quickly,  for  George  looked  half-disposed  to  walk 
away  again.  Paget  opened  it,  and  I  said,  "  George 
is  come  to  say  he  is  sorry,"  and  trusted  that  Paget 
would  at  once  shake  hands  with  him,  and  so  that 
all  would  he  right  between  them,  Paget,  however, 
wished  to  speak  his  mind  before  he  gave  his  hand; 
and  then  there  came  such  loud  speaking  of  mutual 
reproaches,  that  I  feared  a  fight  would  follow,  and 
began  bitterly  to  repent  my  folly  and  temerity  in 
bringing  the  combatants  together.  Fists  were  raised 
and  shaken  so  near  each  other's  faces,  that  I  thought 
best  to  glide  between,  and  warn  the  disputants  to 
stand  further  off  as  they  spoke.  The  clamour  grew 
louder  and  louder,  until  a  pause  for  breath  gave  me 
opportunity  for  speech.  Then  I  said,  "Oh!  Paget, 
Oh!  George,  this  is  terrible.  On  New  Year's  night, 
on  Sunday  night,  and  under  the  roof  where  half  an 


HONEST  HEARTS.  48 

hour  ago  we  were  worshipping  God,  to  have  such 
angry  words  said  !  It  will  not  do.  It  is  very  sinful. 
We  must  have  no  more.  Let  us  kneel  down  and 
pray  that  the  God  of  peace  and  love  would  prove 
Himself  here,  to  be  stronger  than  the  father  of  strife 
and  hatred,  that  is  the  devil." 

At  first  I  knelt  alone,  hut  soon  heard  the  two  men 
suddenly  fall  on  their  knees  ;  and  when  we  rose  up, 
the  tears  were  rolling  down  Paget's  cheeks.  ^^  I  '11 
never  say  another  word  about  it,  after  that  prayer," 
he  said.     "  I  '11  forgive  him  from  my  heart,  out." 

George,  however,  stood  with  his  hand  on  the 
latch,  and  said,  "  No,  no  !  I  '11  never  cross  my  hand 
on  a  man's  as  says  he'll  put  me  in  the  lock-up  for  a 
word.  I  never  seed  the  inside  of  a  gaol  in  my  life, 
and  now  to  be  put  in  for  a  few  careless  words !  " 

"  O  George,  how  can  you  be  so  silly  ?  Paget  has 
just  said  he  will  forgive  you  from  his  heart.  He 
would  never  dream,  now,  of  getting  you  into  prison. 
You  hnow  he  would  not.  You  have  both  been  hot, 
and  have  spoken  sinful  words ;  but  both  are  sorry 
for  them.  I  am  not  going  home  until  I  have  seen 
you  friends,  by  God's  help." 

He  stood  irresolute,  but  sullen, 

"  Give  me  your  hand," 

"That  I  will." 

"  And  now,  Paget,  give  me  yours." 

Two  huge,  rough  hands  met  in  mine,  and  then, 


44  HONEST  HEARTS. 

independently,  shook  each  other  as  heartily  as  if  the 
men  had  been  friends  from  the  cradle,  and  would  he 
to  the  grave. 

"  Thank  God  !  It  is  all  right  now.  Good  night, 
Paget ;  you  have  behaved  like  a  king.  God  bless 
you."  As  we  went  back,  George  confessed  that 
^'  his  heart  felt  more  lightsome  like,"  and  there  was 
a  choking  sound  about  his  voice  as  he  said,  '•^  God 
bless  you,  ma'am,"  at  parting. 

Faithful  William  G was  waiting  for  me,   a 

few  doors  further  on.  I  told  him  how  sorry  I  was 
that  he  should  have  waited  so  long  a  time,  and  asked 
him  why  he  had  not  gone  back  to  Deptford  at  once, 
as  I  had  begged  he  would. 

"  Why,  ma'am,  you  see  we  are  a  rough  lot  before 
we  get  the  grace  of  God  in  us,  and  I  was  afraid  you 
might  see  a  bit  of  fighting,  and  be  frightened.  Yet  I 
thought  God  would  give  you  the  power  to  make  it 
all  straight." 

"  And  so  you  stood  here  praying  that  He  would, 
and  waited  to  hear  that  He  had  answered  you." 

"  Yes,  ma'am.  I  knew  you  were  right  to  go  alone, 
and  shew  your  trust  in  them.  So  all  I  could  do  was 
to  pray,  and  I  believe  there's  nothing  like  it." 

When  we  came  to  the  Rectory  gate,  John  Mynott 
was  standing  by  it.  He  had  waited  an  hour  for  a 
farewell.  "  Blessed  Beckenham ! "  he  said ;  ^^I  wish 
I  could  spend  all  my  days  here." 


HONEST   HEARTS.  45 

I  never  saw  him  again.  He  was  killed  by  the 
falling  of  some  timber  about  a  year  afterwards. 

On  Monday  evening,  three  hundred  villagers  and 
navvies  assembled  in  the  schoolroom,  to  see  the  dis- 
solving views  of  scenes  connected  with  the  Jewish  mis- 
sions, for  which  my  father  had  sent,  to  provide  them 
with  an  evening's  amusement.  The  navvies'  excla- 
mations of  approbation  were  very  cheerful  to  hear. 
I  took  the  opportunity  of  privately  thanking  John 

D ,  William  M ,    and  Thomas  Dibley  for 

their  share  in  the  gift  of  my  basket ;  and  it  was  better 
than  all  the  dissolving  views  in  the  world,  to  see  the 
sparkle  of  their  honest  faces — one  broad  smile,  as  I 

held  it  up  for  their  admiration — and  M- said, 

*^  We  are  so  pleased  you  like  it." 

Another  man  said  to  me,  in  a  low,  confidential 
tone,  "  You  '11  be  glad  to  hear  that  when  Paget  and 
George  met  this  morning  at  the  works,  they  shakes 
hands,  and  speaks  as  friends  each  time  they  passes." 

It  was,  indeed,  a  cause  of  thankfulness  to  God, 
that  He  made  the  generous  impulse  of  those  two 
noble  natures  a  lasting  principle.  From  that  day 
they  were  friends. 

In  the  course  of  the  same  week,  I  heard  that  some 
of  the  navvies  were  almost  starving,  the  heavy  snow 
having  prevented  them  from  carrying  on  their  work 
since  Christmas  Eve.      I  found  great  difficulty  in 


46  HONEST  HEARTS. 

making  them  acknowledge  their  distress.  Henry 
Hunns  said,  "  What's  the  good  of  telling  you?  you've 
done  too  much  already."  A  soup  ticket  was  sent  to 
tall  George,  amongst  others.  Meeting  him  afterwards, 
1  inquired  if  he  had  received  it.  "  Yes,  thank  ye" — 
and  he  was  passing  on.  "And  did  you  get  your 
soup?  "  "  No,  ma'am  ;  there  was  none  left  when  I  got 
to  the  kitchen."  "  What  f o  d  have  you  had  to-day  ?" 
"  None."  "What  had  you  yesterday?"  "  Bits.  Bill 
and  Tol  gave  me.     I  must  have  starved  but  for  them  "' 

I  wrote  an  order  for  some  beef-steak  and  a  loaf  for 
him.  A  hearty  "  thank  ye"  followed ;  but  weak  to 
the  warmth  of  his  reply  when  I  said,  "  George,  I 
was  so  much  pleased  to  hear  that  you  and  Paget  met 
again  as  friends  on  Monday,  I  was  praying  that  you 
might,  as  I  awoke  on  Monday  morning ;  and  above 
and  beyond  all,  that  you  might  be  friends  with  your 
God  and  Saviour.     That  is  what  I  long  for." 

"  I  know  you  do" — and  the  tears  filled  his  eyes ; 
'^  I  know  ye  care  for  our  souls." 

On  the  following  Sunday  morning,  Henry  Hunns 
met  me,  with  his  face  more  than  usually  bright.  "  Well, 
Henry,  I  hope  you  are  going  to  have  a  holy,  happy 
Sunday." 

"  I  hope  I  am.  I  think  I  went  the  right  way  to 
work  for  it,  please  God.     I  began  it  comfortable." 

"  How  did  you  begin  it  ?" 

"  I  got  up  at  a  quarter  past  ^yGj  and  came  down 


HONEST  HEARTS.  47 

and  sat  by  the  candle  to  read  my  new  Bible,  and  got 
a  good  long  bit  alone  with  my  God,  and  felt  peaceable- 
like." 

The  distress  amongst  the  Kail  way  men  continued 
through  the  week,  and  rather  increased,  although  a 
change  in  the  weather  had  enabled  them  to  resume 
their  work.  But  tiie  wages  were  not  due  until  Satur- 
day afternoon,  and  at  very  few  of  the  shops  could  any- 
thing be  obtained  on  trust  by  comparative  strangers. 
I  had  understood  that  the  wages  would  be  paid  daily 
for  a  few  days,  in  consequence  of  the  distress  from 
the  long  frost.  But  on  calling  at  Gibbons'  lodging- 
house,  I  found  that  George  had  gone  to  bed  supper- 
less  the  night  before,  and  to  work  without  a  breakfast; 
so  we  had  a  grand  soup-making  immediately  arranged 
for  the  whole  set  of  unfed  workers  during  the  re- 
mainder of  that  week,  by  means  of  the  kind  help 
of  the  Mr  Wilkinsons ;  with  additional  meals  sup- 
plied for  those  who  had  been  prevented  by  illness  or 
other  accidents  from  laying  by  anything  for  a  time 
of  need.  They  seemed  more  than  half-pained  by 
having  to  accept  it.  ^'It  do  seem  so!"  said  Henry 
Hunns,   "  to  live  on  gentlefolks  in  this  way." 

One  cold  dark  evening,  as  I  was  walking  down  the 
hill  into  the  village,  a  man  who  was  going  in  the 
opposite  direction,  turned  round,  and  walked  in  the 
road  on  a  lino  with  my  position  in  the  path.  Just 
as  I  was  going  to  cross  to  the  other  side,  he  said, 


4S  HONEST  HEARTS. 

"  Not  there,  ma'am ;  you  '11  be  up  to  your  knees  in 
tlie  snow-drift."  It  was  Henry  Ilunns,  who  knew 
my  step,  and  thought  he  had  better  take  care  of  me. 
He  went  with  me  to  the  sick  people  whom  I  was  on 
my  way  to  visit,  and  then  begged  to  be  permitted  to 
carry  a  lantern  to  light  me  back  to  the  Rectory.  He 
was  walking  silently  up  the  hill,  when  suddenly  his 
thoughts  burst  forth  in  the  exclamation,  "It's  the 
happiest  •  life  for  a  man  to  live — to  live  for  God — ■ 
even  if  there  were  no  heaven." 

Thus  had  this  young  reckless  one,  by  the  teaching 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  learned  to  say,  with  David,  "  I 
had  rather  be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house  of  my  G  od, 
than  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  wickedness." 

From  the  day  when  the  treaty  of  ]3eace  was  con- 
cluded between  Paget  and  tall  George,  I  had  noticed 
an  increased  earnestness  in  Paget's  manner  at  the  read- 
ings. One  evening  he  came  to  the  Rectory  to  tell  me 
of  the  cure  of  his  rheumatism  which  Mr  Williams' 
remedies  had  effected.  After  duly  discussing  this 
subject,  we  went  on  to  other  matters  j  and,  whilst 
speaking  earnestly  to  him,  I  saw  his  head  sink  down 
so  low  behind  the  hat  he  held  in  his  hand,  that  I 
fancied  he  had  fallen  asleep.  But  when  at  last  he 
raised  it,  I  could  see  why  ho  had  hidden  it,  and  had 
not  answered  two  or  three  questions  as  to  his  faith  in 
the  Saviour's  love  to  his  soul,  and  the  response  in  his 
own  heart.     His  face  was  wet  with  tears. 


HONEST  HEARTS.  49 

A  few  days  after  this,  Mary  E told  me  that 

another  man,  who  was  slightly  intoxicated,  had  sworn 
terribly  at  Paget ;  but  that  Paget  had  held  his  peace, 
and  only  said  quietly  afterwards,  ^'  I  can't  swear  now; 
and  it  makes  me  sick  to  hear  it." 

During  the  dangerous  illness  of  my  beloved  sister, 
the  sympathy  of  the  navvies  was  peculiarly  delicate 
and  true.  They  sent  two  or  three  of  their  number, 
as  A  kind  of  deputation,  every  evening,  to  inquire 
about  her  j  and  met  for  prayer  concerning  her,  when 
I  was  unable  to  leave  her  room.     One  day  1  had  a 

visit  from  a  young  man,  named  Edward  Gr ,  whom 

my  sister  had  met  at  some  distance  from  Beckenham, 
wandering — he  knew  not  whither,  with  two  fingers 
of  his  right  hand  crushed,  and  whom  she  had  brought 
back,  to  provide  him  with  board  and  lodging  until 
he  was  able  to  go  to  work  again.  I  told  him  that  I 
had  felt  rather  surprised  that  he  had  not  sooner  been 
amongst  those  who  came  personally  to  inquire  after 
hex.     Tears  started  to  his  eyes. 

"  It  wasn't  that  I  didn't  mind.  I  waited  and 
watched  for  them  as  came,  to  ask  how  she  were ;  but 
I  didn't  like  to  come  to  the  house.  I  have  been  going 
on  pretty  middling  badly  of  late,  till  just  lately." 

"  What  made  you  change  just  lately  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  did  not  like  to  be  going  on  so,  whilst  she 
lay  ill."  There  was  wonderful  feeling  in  his  voice 
and  eyes  as  he  said  it. 

D 


50  HONEST  HEARTS. 

"  What  is  your  besetting  snare,  Edward  ?  " 

"Evil  companions,  and  going  along  with  them. 
You  see  I  'm  lively ;  and  when  they  come  alongside  of 
me  and  jeer,  I  jeer  back ;  and  my  spirits  carry  me 
off." 

"But  Henry  Hunns  is  lively  enough,  isn't  he? 
And  yet  he  is  trying  to  live  like  a  Christian." 

"  Henry  Hunns  is  quiet-lively  now.  I  a'most 
think  I  like  it  better.  He's  a  changed  man.  I  think 
I  '11  go  along  with  him  more  than  I  have  done." 

Two  or  three  weeks  afterwards,  a  lecture  on  che- 
mistry, with  entertaining  experiments,  was  delivered 
in  the  schoolroom.  I  gave  Edward  a  shilling  to  pay 
for  tickets  for  himself  and  Henry  Hunns.  He  could 
not  find  Henry  in  time  for  the  lecture,  so  he  made 
use  of  the  second  sixpence  for  tobacco — having  no 
money  of  his  own  till  the  week's  wages  were  due. 
Meanwhile,  I  had  met  Henry,  and  fearing  that  he 
might  be  too  late,  had  given  him  another  ticket. 
Two  or  three  days  afterwards,  when  Henry  inquired 
what  had  become  of  the  sixpence,  Edward  told  him 
he  should  settle  about  it  with  me.  Accordingly,  one 
evening  in  the  following  week,  he  came  to  the  Kectory 
to  speak  to  me  about  it.  I  said,  "  I  should  have  been 
better  pleased,  Edward,  if  you  had  asked  my  leave 
to  borrow  it.  You  know  how  gladly  I  would  have 
lent  or  given  it  to  you." 

"  Yes,  I  do ;    and  that 's  what  makes  me  sorry 


HONEST  HEARTS.  51 

I  spent  it  without  your  leave.  But  I  meant  to  return 
it." 

"  Still,  to  borrow  without  leave  is  first  cousin  to 
stealing,  is  it  not  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  think  it 's  closer  than  that.  But  I  've 
brought  it  with  me  now.     Here  it  is." 

It  went  to  my  heart  to  have  to  take  it ;  yet  I  felt 
that  the  lesson  of  rigid  honesty  must  be  taught.  It 
would  have  burnt  a  hole  in  my  purse  ;  so  I  brought 
the  Connemara  Orphan  box,  and  told  him  about  little 
orphans  being  fed,  clothed,  and  taught,  for  two  pounds 
a-year  each  ;  and  asked  if  he  would  like  to  have  a 
fortieth  share  of  the  pleasure  of  supporting  one.  He 
smiled,  and  said,  "  Yes,  indeed  !  but  the  sixpence  is 
not  mine.  I  haven't  a  right  to  the  pleasure  of  drop- 
ping it  in," 

"  But  I  give  it  you,  to  do  as  you  like  with  it." 
He  then  put  it  in,  with  cordial  delight. 


About  the  same  time,  I  was  much  distressed  to 
hear  that  a  young  married  man,  of  whom  I  had  hoped 
better  things,  had  gone  away  in  a  state  of  intoxica- 
tion. It  was  a  subject  of  grief,  and  of  prayer  also, 
at  the  cottage  reading.  A  stout  young  navvy, 
named  Samuel  Bush,  said,  "  Don't  you  remember, 
ma'am,  when  you  first  saw  me,  I  was  just  like  he. 


52  HONEST  HEARTS. 

Next  day  you  saw  me  sober j  and  asked  me  to  come  to 
a  reading.  I  thought  I  wasn't  fit,  but  you  persuaded 
me ;  and  for  five  weeks  past,  now,  I  've  kept  sober — 
but  only  by  praying  hard  whenever  I  see  a  public." 

Young  James  was  one  of  the  summer  tea- 
party  whom  we  had  not  seen  since  that  time.  He 
had  left,  whilst  we  were  in  Ireland,  to  work  as  a 
bricklayer  in  Essex,  and  on  his  return  to  this  neigh- 
bourhood had  found  work  about  four  miles  hence. 
From  his  elder  brother,  William,  he  had  heard  that 
I  had  expressed  a  wish  to  see  him  again,  and  walked 
over,  in  consequence,  one  evening.  He  seemed 
touched  by  hearing  that  he  had  been  remembered  by 
name,  in  prayer,  for  so  long  a  time ;  and  as  we  rose 
from  our  knees,  his  eyes  were  cast  down,  and  I  saw 
it  was  to  hold  back  the  tears.  "  I  '11  come  to  the 
reading  to-morrow  night,"  said  he  at  last,  "let  it 
be  ever  so.  I  never  thought  when  I  went  back  to 
Essex  that  I  should  be  asked  for  again,  nor  prayed 
for,  like  a  child  from  home." 

The  next  evening,  William  called  to  express  his 
thanks  for  the  kind  words  to  his  brother.  I  besought 
him  to  make  sure  of  his  own  happiness  by  accepting 
at  once  God's  free  offer  of  salvation  through  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  told  him  that  if  a  man  did  not  close  with 
it  when  his  heart  was  softened,  it  would  grow  harder 
than  ever  soon  afterwards.  He  said  Avith  quivering 
lips,  "  I  desire  to  do  so." 


HONEST  HEARTS.  53 

He  seemed,  as  William  G used  to  express  it, 

'^Id  great  earnest  about  his  soiil."  He  said  he  ^^  had 
been  a  pretty  regular  church-goer  before  he  came  to 
Beckenham — but  never  had  a  pleasure  in  it  before." 
And  he  added,  "  those  cottage  readings  seem  to  make 
me  love  my  church  and  my  Bible  better,  and  matter- 
stand  more  about  them  both." 


CHAPTER    IV. 


"  The  pilgrim  they  laid  in  a  large  upper  chamber,  whose  window 
opened  towards  the  sun-rising.  The  name  of  the  chamber  whx 
Peace ;  where  he  slept  till  break  of  day,  and  then  he  awoke  aiK; 


aaiig-^ 


'  Where  am  I  now  ?—  Ts  tliis  the  love  and  care 
Of  Jesns,  for  tlie  men  that  pilgrims  are, 
Thus  to  provide  !     'J'hat  I  should  be  forgiven. 
And  dwell  already  the  next  door  to  heaven.'" 


Early  in  the  year  1 854,  one  of  the  Crystal  Palace 
men,  who  lodged  at  Norwood,  came  to  Beckenham 
to  ask  for  an  hospital  ticket,  as  he  believed  he  had  an 
affection  of  the  chest.  We  provided  him  with  board 
and  lodging  at  one  of  the  cottages  for  a  week,  that 
he  might  have  the  kind  and  skilful  medical  attendance 
of  Mr  Williams  of  Bromley.  He  was  then  sent  to 
one  of  the  hospitals  in  London-  Six  weeks  after- 
wards, he  called  to  say  that  he  was  well  enough  to 
go  to  work  again.  He  added  that  he  had  thought 
a  good  deal,  whilst  in  hospital,  of  what  he  had  heard 
at  the  readings  he  had  attended  during  his  short  stay 
in  Beckenham,  and  had  talked  to  the  other  men  in 
his  ward  about  it,  especially  to  one  who  was  dying. 
This  man  had  aroused  him,  one  night,  by  suddenly 
exclaiming,  "  Oh !  I  am  dying  —  I  am  dying  — 
where  am  I  going?" 

John  N rose,  and  went  to  the  side  of  the  sick 

man's  bed,  and  asked,  "  What  is  your  hope,  for 
getting  to  heaven  ?" 

"  Well,  I  have  done  no  murder,  nor  wronged  my 
neighbour." 


58  HAPPS-  DYING. 

"  But  that  is  not  enough,"  said  John.  "  I  used 
to  think  so ;  but  just  of  late,  I  've  learned  different. 
I've  got  a  bit  of  a  printed  letter  to  us  Exhibition 
workmen,  Avhich  tells  the  whole  story,  and  I  '11  tell  it 

to    you.       It  says,   ^  I  AM   A   LOST  SINNER, — I  HAVE  A 

GRACIOUS  Saviour.'  And  a  card  of  prayer  which 
came  with  it  says,  ^  My  sins  are  very  many,  and 
only  Christ's  blood  can  wash  them  away.'"* 

The  poor  man  begged  him  to  repeat  the  whole  of 
the  short  prayer  to  him  again  and  again,  until  he  had 
learned  it. 

*  TO  THE  WORKMEN  OF  THE  CRYSTAL  PALACB. 

Feiends  and  Neigebouks,— You  are  buiULUij  a  wonderful  edifice,  and 
we  hope  that  it  will  be  for  the  welfare,  and  not  for  the  injury,  of  the 
people  of  Great  Britain.  You  have  witnessed  a  fearful  accident.  Oh  I 
let  it  lead  you  to  two  thoughts, 

I  AM  A  LOST  SINNEE, — 
I  HAVE  A  GRACIOUS  SAVIOUR  ; 

And  let  every  one  of  you  lift  up  your  hearts  and  say,— 

LORD  JESUS,  SAVE  ME, — 
GIVE  ME  THY  HOLY  SPIRIT. 

Let  U3  beg  of  you  to  read  the  Word  of  God  daily ;  and  never  let  a  day 
pass  in  which  you  look  at  the  Crystal  Palace  without  praying  God  to  give 
you  a  **  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens." 

C M . 

Almighty  God !  x»rdon  all  my  past  sins ;  they  are  very  many,  and 
only  Christ's  blood  can  wash  them  away.  Turn  me,  by  the  power  of 
Thy  Holy  Spirit,  from  all  my  evil  ways.  Give  me  a  iiew  heart,  guide 
and  direct  me  in  the  right  way,  and  help  me  to  live  a  new  and  holy  life. 
I  ask  these  things  in  the  name  and  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 


HAPPY  DYING.  59 

Two  or  three  times  the  next  day  he  begged  John 
to  read  to  him  out  of  his  New  Testament ;  and  in  the 
night  he  died — repeating  almost  with  his  last  breath, 
"  Mj  sins  are  very  many,  and  only  Christ's  blood 
can  wash  them  away." 

A  stranger,  named  Henry  Randall,  called  one  day 
to  ask  for  an  hospital  ticket.  He  said  the  ladies  at  the 
Rectory  had  sent  him  a  letter  and  a  card  of  prayer ; 
and  so  he  thought  he  might  come  to  them  in  his 
trouble.  He  then  shewed  the  printed  letter  and 
prayer  sent  to  each  of  the  3000  workmen  at  the 
Crystal  Palace,  as  his  credentials.     We  sent  him  to 

board  at  James?  W 's,  whilst  we  waited  for   a 

ticket  from  a  subscriber  to  one  of  the  London  hospi- 
tals. When  it  was  all  arranged,  James  brought  him 
to  the  Rectory  to  say  good-bye.  After  giving  him  a 
Testament  and  some  little  books  and  other  small  pre- 
sents, with  a  few  words  of  advice,  I  was  parting  with 
him,  when  James  stepped  back  and  said,  "  I  hope 
it 's  not  a  liberty,  ma'am,  but  would  you  have  a  bit  of 
a  prayer  with  him  ?  I  don't  much  think  you  or  I  will 
ever  see  him  again  alive." 

It  touched  my  heart  to  be  kept  up  to  my  duty  by 
a  navvy — six  months  before,  a  dninkard ! 

A  year  afterwards,  my  sister  and  I  received  a  letter 
by  post  from  a  poor  woman,  requesting  us  to  visit 
her  dying  husband  at  Norwood.  The  signature  and 
address  were  indistinctly  written,  so   that   we  had 


60  HAPPY  DYING. 

some  difficulty  in  tracing  them.  When  at  last  we 
entered  their  cottage,  it  was  Henry  Eandall  who 
stretched  out  both  his  emaciated  hands,  with  the 
words,  "  Oh,  I  am  so  happy  !  I  wanted  to  see  you, 
to  tell  you  that  I  am  so  happy  in  Jesus  Christ." 

In  the  course  of  the  visit,  he  told  us  that  during 
the  time  he  was  in  the  hospital,  he  had  remembered 
the  words  said  to  him  as  he  left  the  Kectory,  "  You 
have  heard  of  a  Saviour  now  ;  tell  the  sick  and  dying 
around  you  of  that  Saviour.  Remember  His  own 
words,  in  the  last  chapter  in  the  Bible,  ^  Let  him  that 
heareth  say,  Come.'  "  At  once  he  offered  to  read  the 
Bible  every  evening  to  the  ward,  which  was  willingly 
accepted.  He  believed  that  God  had  blessed  this 
reading  of  His  Word  to  two  men  who  had  died  there. 
"  Yet,"  he  said,  "  I  had  not  found  Christ  when  I 
asked  them  to  come  to  Him.  I  was  only  seeking  Him. 
Now  I  have  found  Him,  and  He  is  my  own  Saviour. 
He  has  washed  away  my  sins  in  His  own  blood.  He 
has  given  me  life  by  His  death.  He  has  opened 
heaven  to  me.  My  nights  of  pain  and  coughing  used 
to  seem  so  long ;  now  they  are  too  short  for  praising 
my  Saviour,  and  enjoying  His  presence." 

During  two  months  of  lingering  sufferings,  he 
continued  "  rejoicing  in  hope,"  and  then  quietly  fell 
asleep  in  Jesus,  "  the  life  of  them  that  believe,  and 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead." 

He  was  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Norwood  ;  and 


HAPPY  DYING.  t51 

by  his  dying  request  to  his  wife,  the  first  letter  he 
had  received,  telling  him  of  a  Saviour's  love,  was 
buried  with  him.  He  said  he  should  lik  i  to  awake 
up  with  it  in  his  hand  at  the  morning  of  uie  Besur- 
r^ction. 


CHAPTER    V. 


Footprints,  that  perhaps  another* 
Sailing  o'er  life's  solemn  main, 

9caie  forlorn  and  shipwreck'd  brothtTf 
deeing,  shall  take  heart  agua." 


About  this  time  I  remarked  that  Thomas  Dibley,  a 
navvy  of  about  eight-and-twenty  years  of  age,  had 
become  regular  in  his  attendance  at  church  and  at 
the  cottage  readings;  and  from  his  earnest  coun- 
tenance, it  was  easy  to  see  that  his  heart  was 
awakening  to  the  solemn  importance  of  beginning  a 
new  life. 

Desirous  of  knowing  what  was  passing  in  his 
mind,  I  asked  him  to  carry  my  lantern  for  me  one 
evening  after  a  cottage  reading.  As  he  was  walking 
by  my  side,  he  suddenly  exclaimed,  "  I  thank  God 
I  ever  came  here  !  " 

"  Do  you  believe,  Thomas,  that  God  has  really 
changed  your  heart,  and  has  given  you  His  Holy 
Spirit,  so  as  to  make  you  believe  in  your  Saviour's 
love  to  you,  and  to  enable  you  to  wish  to  love  and  to 
live  to  Him  wholly  ?  " 

"  I  do  believe  He  has  changed  me.  I  do  believe 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  willingness  to  save  me, 
and  I  wish  to  live  to  Him."  He  could  not  add 
another  word,  and  walked  away  from  the  Rectory 

E 


66  FEARS  AND  HOPES. 

gate,  without  saying,  "Good-night" — but  ran  back 
before  I  had  reached  the  house,  to  say,  "  God  bless 
you,  ma'am.' 

The  next  evening,  he  came  for  an  hour's  earnest 
conversation.  He  mentioned  that  the  first  serious 
thought  he  had  ever  had  about  his  eternal  salvation 
was  when  I  had  ventured  to  enter  the  supper-room  of 
a  beer-shop  in  the  village,  to  invite  the  lodgers  to 
come  to  an  evening  lecture  of  Mr  Chalmers'  in  the 
schoolroom,  and  to  attend  the  services  in  church  on 
Sunday.  A  short  prayer  was  then  written  in  a  Tes- 
tament, and  given  to  him ;  the  words  of  which  he 
pleaded  that  night : — "  O  GOD,  WASH  ME  FEOM  ALL 
MY  SINS  IN  MY  SAVIOUR'S  BLOOD,  AND  I  SHALL 
BE  WHITER  THAN  SNOW.      FiLL  ME  WITH  THE  HOLY 

GHOST,  FOR  JESUS  CHRIST'S  sake.  Amen." 
From  that  time  he  continued  to  kneel  down,  night 
and  morning,  tc  pray  its  brief  words,  and  then  he 
read  a  few  verses  of  his  Testament.  The  next  Sun- 
day he  came  to  church,  and  afterwards  attended  the 
services  and  the  cottage  readings  regularly. 

"  In  three  weeks,"  he  added,  with  a  thankful  smile, 
"my  little  prayer  had  pulled  me  up  so  far  that  I 
could  not  bear  lodging  at  a  beer-shop,  nor  to  miss 
going  to  the  house  of  God  twice  of  a  Sunday.  But  now, 
I  do  hope  it  is  agoing  to  strike  at  my  heart  as  well 
as  my  life.  I  think  it  has,  I  think  God  is  hearing 
my  prayer,  and  pardoning  my  sins,  and  making  me 


FEAKS  AND  HOPES.  67 

wish  to  belong  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  His 
people."  He  added  that,  before  he  had  removed  to 
a  quiet  cottage,  from  the  time  he  had  begun  to  pray, 
the  conversation  he  heard  around  him  at  supper-time 
had  become  so  painful  to  him,  that  he  used  to  take 
his  bit  of  supper  and  eat  it  out  of  doors,  and  stay 
there  until  it  was  time  to  go  to  bed. 

I  asked  him  if  he  had  not  had  a  good  mother ; 
for  I  thought  all  this  must  be  the  answer  to  a  pious 
mother's  prayers.  He  hid  his  face  in  his  hands,  and 
said,  ^^  She  was  a  tender-hearted  woman,  and  taught 
me  a  prayer  when  I  was  little,  and  sent  me  to 
school,  Sundays  and  week-days.  She  died  four  years 
ago,  when  I  was  four-and-twenty.  She  was  a  good 
mother,'''' 

James  W returned  to  his  work  in  the  month  of 

February,  after  a  long  illness,  accompanied  with  much 
suffering.  At  the  close  of  his  first  day's  work,  he 
looked  so  worn  and  faint,  that  1  insisted  on  his  rest- 
ing a  week  or  ten  days  longer,  and,  with  the  help  of 
a  friend,  enabled  him  to  do  so.  He  came  to  the 
E-ectory  one  morning  for  conversation.  Seldom  have 
I  more  enjoyed  half  an  hour's  communion  of  spirit. 
He  said  that,  whilst  he  was  laid  by  with  great  suffer- 
ing in  his  knee  and  leg,  his  soul  was  lifted  up  with  joy 
in  believing.  ^'  I  felt  that  Christ  was  my  own,  and 
that  we  two  should  never  part — for  He  bought  me 
with  a  price.     But  now  I  have  got  back  into  life 


68  FEARS  AND  HOPES. 

and  the  world  again,  I  feel  so  fainty-like  in  my  body, 
as  if  I  should  go  right  off,  and  it  is  nigh  as  bad  with 
my  soul  I  fear  I  may  go  right  off  from  Jesus.  I 
find  my  love  to  my  good  Saviour  is  so  little,  it 
a'most  daunts  me." 

"  But  would  you  give  up  that  little  for  anything 
in  this  world?" 

"Not  to  be  a  king!  And  oh,  I  do  love  Him 
dearly !  only  it  is  such  pitiful  love  by  the  side  of  His 
great  love  to  me.  Pray  God  give  me  better  and  more 
in  my  heart." 

He  thought  he  ought  to  go  to  his  home  (in  a  village 
in  Berkshire),  if  he  did  not  get  strong  enough  for  work 
soon.  ''-  Parish  and  old  friends  might  do  a  little  for 
me.  But  I  did  so  wish  to  live  and  die  at  Becken- 
ham.  Anyhow,  if  the  Lord  Avould  give  me  strength 
for  a  bit,  it  would  be  a  great  thing.  I  owe  a  debt 
or  two ;  and  now  I  am  a  Christian,  I  should  not  like 
to  leave  in  debt.  I  pray  about  it,  and  I  believe  the 
Lord  will  raise  me  up  for  it." 

Ten  days  afterwards,  he  was  enabled  to  resume  his 
work. 

Shortly  after  this  conversation,  James  W called 

again,  and  seemed  unwilling  to  communicate  the 
object  of  his  visit.  At  length  he  said,  he  would  be 
so  very  sorry  to  vex  me — did  I  think  I  could  bear  it  ? 
I  asked  anxiously  what  he  meant. 

"  AVell ;  it 's  about  Henry  Hunns." 


FEABS  AND  HOPES.  (J9 

"  If  it  is  anything  bad  of  him,  I  do  not  think  I  can 
bear  it,  James.  I  have  so  rejoiced  over  him.  But 
you  had  better  tell  me  at  once ;  for  I  do  not  believe 
there  can  be  much  to  say  against  him." 

"  He  bid  me  come  and  break  it  to  you.  He 's 
been  to  a  public-house." 

"  But  he  has  not  given  way  to  drinking,  has 
he?" 

"  Not  been  insensible-like,  but  bad  enough;  and 
yet  it  wasn't  his  fault,  over  and  above  going  in  at  all. 
Perhaps  you  don't  know  that  he  used  to  go  very  often 

to  a  public-house  at ,  before  he  got  changed ;  and 

the  landlord  of  it  said  the  other  day  he'd  make  him 
drunk,  as  sure  as  he  was  alive,  because  Henry  had  left 
off  drinking,  and  grown  religious.  So,  as  he  passes  by, 
two  young  men  stands  there — one  of  them  calls  out, 
'  Henry,  treat  us  to  a  mug.  You're  grown  rather  near 
of  late.'  And  you  know,  ma'am,  to  us  navvies  to  be 
called  near  is  as  bad  as  murder  a'most.  So  Henry 
stops  still.  And  then  the  landlord  says,  ^  I  've  a  kind 
of  ale  that 's  very  good,  I  'd  like  you  to  taste  it.  Red 
Neck '  (that's  the  name  he  goes  by,  because  of  that 
long  red  comforter  he  always  wears,  cold  and  hot). 
So  landlord  goes  in  and  brings  a  mug,  and  Henry 
goes  in  and  tosses  it  off.  And  all  in  a  minute  he 
feels  it  in  his  head,  and  knows  landlord  has  drugged 
it  tc  make  him  drunk.  And  Henry  said  it  was  a 
judgment  on  him   foi  going  into  temptation  again, 


70  FEARS  AND  HOPES. 

and  that  he  deserved  the  trick  and  the  disgrace  it  has 
brought.  And  he  wanted  to  come  and  tell  you  on  it ; 
but  he  said  he  had  not  cheek  enough.  So  I  said, 
she  won't  scold  you,  Henry;  'taint  her  way  with  us. 
And  he  said,  ^  No ;  I'm  not  afraid  of  that.  But  it 's 
them  two  tears  I  can't  abear.  They  came  in  her 
eyes  when  I  told  her  I  had  got  drunk  when  I  was 
with  the  militia  last  autumn,  and  she  told  me  she 
was  afeard  of  my  falling  away  out  of  the  right  path. 
And  I  said  to  myself,  I  'd  never  make  them  tears 
come  again.  But  it  will  be  worse  now  that  I  've 
gone  on  straight  so  long,  and  received  the  sacrament, 
and  shall  bring  a  scandal  on  it  all  now.'  And  it 
made  the  poor  boy  so  miserable,  he  couldn't  go  to 
his  work." 

I  told  James  that  I  must  see  Henry,  so  that  he 
had  better  send  him  that  evening.  He  came  accord- 
ingly, looking  wretched — his  eyes  swollen  with  cry- 
ing. "It's  a  bad  business,"  he  said  at  once.  "I 
had  better  not  think  of  going  to  the  sacrament  to- 
morrow ;  but  I  did  so  wish  it ;  "  and  then  came  a 
fresh  burst  of  tears.  After  a  few  words  of  mine,  he 
replied,  "  Yes,  ye  see,  that 's  just  what  I  mind  so  bad. 
It  brings  a  disgrace  on  the  name  of  the  blessed  Saviour, 
now  I  'm  called  after  Him — a  Christian."  He  stayed 
for  the  meeting  of  those  who  intended  to  partake  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  next  day,  and  seemed  full  of  heavi- 
ness. 


FEAIiS  AND  HOPES.  71 

On  Sunday  morning,  lie  called  again,  before  the 
morning  service ;  and  said,  "  I  think  He  would  for- 
give me,  and  even  let  me  come  to  His  table  to-day. 
But  it  would  do  hurt  to  others'  souls — so  I  won't  do 
it.  I  '11  not  go  back  to  my  dinner,  though.  I  '11  walk 
about  in  a  quiet  way  after  church,  and  read  my  Bible ; 
and  wish  I  was  along  of  them  that  go  up." 

We  shewed  him  the  quiet  shrubbery  walk,  where 
he  might  take  his  Bible  and  read,  undisturbed,  for 
which  he  was  thankful ;  and  he  seemed  more  com- 
posed afterwards.  On  Monday  evening,  we  had  the 
51st  Psalm  at'  the  cottage  reading.  I  was  disap- 
pointed by  not  seeing  Henry  there,  at  first;  but  a 
few  minutes  afterwards,  the  door  opened  with  a  pecu- 
liar suddenness,  and  somebody  came  in  with  a  kind 
of  fling.  I  was  sure  it  was  Henry,  and  that  he  was 
feeling  very  awkward  and  unhappy  about  what  had 
passed.  After  the  concluding  prayer,  I  turned  round, 
and  saw  that  he  had  been  standing  the  whole  time 
(for  the  room  was  full),  and  that  tears  were  in  his 
eyes. 

On  the  next  Saturday  night,  he  came  to  the  Eec- 
tory,  and  told  me  he  thought  he  should  never  be 
happy  again.  "  Ye  see  the  fellows  have  at  me  so, 
about  it — and  chaff  so  about  religion ;  and  what  is 
worse,  I  feel  away  from  my  God." 

"  Read  the  51st  Psalm  to-night,  on  your  knees, 
Henry,  and  turn  it  into  prayer." 

'of  THX 

'ir»I7BRSITT] 


72  PEAKS  AND  HOPES. 

"  I  Ve  done  it  every  night  since  you  read  it  on 
Monday  at  the  cottage ;  but  I  '11  try  it  again.  I  won't 
give  up  my  hope,  please  God,  without  a  pull  for  it." 

On  Sunday,  he  had  his  joyous  face  again  ;  only  it 
was  more  seriously  and  humbly  joyful  in  its  expres- 
sion than  before.  He  said  he  had  spent  nearly  two 
hours  alone  with  his  God  and  his  Bible,  before  the 
other  inhabitants  of  the  house  where  he  lodges  had 
awaked  that  morning.  "  And  peace  has  come  back 
to  me,"  he  said ;  "  only  with  it  a  fear  lest  I  should 
drive  it  away  again.  So  I  have  asked  God  to  keep 
it  for  me." 


I  had  heard  a  high  character  in  the  village  oi 

young  Kichard  B ,  and  had  noticed  his  attention 

at  the  cottage  readings.  When  I  remarked  this  to 
him,  he  said  he  might  well  listen — those  readings  had 
made  him  go  to  church  and  read  his  Bible,  and  try  to 
live  a  new  life.  I  asked  him  if  he  had  yet  found 
peace  in  believing  that  his  sins  were  forgiven  him, 
for  the  blessed  Saviour's  name's  sake  ?  He  said,  "  I 
believe  they  are.  He  's  so  willing  to  do  it,  if  we  ask 
heartily." 

1  found  he  had  laid  by  a  considerable  sum  of 
money,  and  yet  had  contrived  to  send  a  handsome 
present  to  his  parents. 


FEARS  AND  HOPES.  73 

Another  young  man,  whom  I  met  returning  from 
his  work,  early  in  the  spring  of  that  year,  told  mo 
that  he  had  never  entered  a  place  of  worship!  I 
could  not  persuade  him  to  go  to  church  at  first,  hut 
he  came  to  a  "reading,"  and  after  it  was  over,  said 
he  should  like  to  come  again,  and  bring  his  "  mate," 
which  he  did  regularly  from  that  time. 

During  the  weeks  that  had  elapsed  from  the  peace 
made  between  Paget  and  George,  the  latter  had  been 
constant  in  his  attendance  at  the  readings.  But  one 
Sunday  night,  towards  the  end  of  February,  he  was 
missing.  I  heard  that  he  had  gone  to  Croydon,  and 
had  my  fears  as  to  the  manner  in  which  he  would 
spend  his  Sabbath  evening  there.  On  Monday  even- 
ing, I  sent  to  his  lodgings,  to  ask  if  he  would  like  to 
come  to  the  Rectory,  and  to  carry  my  lantern  to  the 
cottage.  As  this  was  a  little  gratification  much 
thought  of  amongst  these  kind-hearted  and  truly 
courteous  men,  I  was  surprised  that  he  did  not  appear. 
On  my  way,  I  called  at  the  lodging-house.  George 
did  not  look  up  from  the  supper-table,  where  he  was 
sitting,  but  said,  in  a  low  voice,  that  he  had  not  long 
come  back.  "  Then,"  said  I,  "  you  must  not  leave 
your  supper  to  come  to  the  reading.  Those  who 
work  ought  to  eat." 

"  I  will  come,  though — it 's  better  than  supper  ;  " 
and  he  rose  up,  with  two  others,  to  accompany  me. 

The  next  day,  I  called  at  the  same  house,  to  see  a 


74  FEARS  AND  HOPES. 

sick  child.  The  landlady  said,  "  George  was  sadly 
put  about  by  your  message,  ma'am.  He  was  led 
away  to  drink  a  little  too  much  when  he  went  to 
spend  Sunday  evening  with  his  cousin  at  Croydon, 
and  it  troubled  his  mind  all  yesterday.  And  when 
the  message  came,  he  said,  ^  No,  no,  I  can't  go.  To 
be  walking  by  her  side,  as  if  this  hadn't  happened ; 
I  couldn't  do  it,  and  I  don't  deserve  to  be  treated  so 
kindly  again.'  And  what  vexes  him  worse  still,  is, 
you  see  he  had  become  so  changed  of  late — never 
swearing  now,  and  asking  the  others  to  leave  it  off ; 
and  one  throws  it  at  him  that  he 's  a  saint ;  and  he 
says,  ^  No,  I  'm  not.  But  I  wish  I  were.  It  may 
come  to  you,  Joe,  some  day,  to  feel  what  I  feel  now ; 
and  I  wish  it  would.'  And  now,  all  this  grieves  him 
so,  lest  he  should  have  done  a  harm  to  their  souls ; 
and  last  night,  after  he  came  home  from  the  reading, 
he  told  them  how  ashamed  he  was  of  himself,  and 
said  he  prayed  God  it  might  not  so  fall  out  again." 

The  little  boy  in  the  house  had  been  seized  with 
croup  in  the  night,  and  thought  that  he  should  die. 
"  Oh,  mother,"  he  said,  '^  I  'm  frightened  to  go  before 
such  a  good  God!"  Then  suddenly  he  added,  "  But 
I  have  prayed  to  Him  to  make  me  a  better  boy;  and 
mother,  there 's  the  navvies'  prayer  that  they  pray 
beside  their  beds  in  the  next  room."  And  then  the 
little  child  knelt  up  in  his  bed,  and,  amidst  paroxysms 
of  coughing,  prayed,  ^'  O  God,  wash  me  from  all  my 


FEAES  AND  HOPES.  75 

Sins  in  my  Saviour's  blood,  and  I  shall  be  whiter  than 
snow."  Almost  directly  afterwards,  with  the  sim- 
plicity of  childhood's  eager  faith,  he  said,  "  Now, 
mother,  I  need  not  mind  dying,  because  I  am  washed, 
you  see,  in  that  blood  of  Jesus  Christ." 

Information  having  reached  me,  that  some  new 

lodgers  had  come  to 's  beershop,  I  ventured  to 

visit  the  strangers'  supper-room  again,  to  invite  them 
to  Mr  Chalmers'  schoolroom  service.  After  a  little 
conversation,  four  men  promised  to  go,  and  kept  their 

word.      Charles  S ,  who  had  begun  to  attend 

the  readings  a  short  time  before,  was  standing  near 
the  lane  which  led  to  a  small  inn,  with  the  sign  of 
"  The  Coach  and  Horses,"  kept  by  his  father. 
He  came  forward  to  tell  me  that  there  was  a  large 
party  of  lodgers  in  their  great  kitchen,  and  that  his 
mother  and  he  would  go  into  the  circle  with  me,  if  I 
would  like  to  speak  to  them.  Under  this  escort  I 
went  with  great  comfort.  The  strangers  listened 
respectfully ;  but  not  one  promised  to  attend.  How- 
ever, about  ten  minutes  after  the  service  had  com- 
menced, a  trampling  of  heavy  shoes  upon  the  newly- 
shingled  path  announced  the  arrival  of  "  The  Coach 
and  Horses."  Our  new  friends  had  '^thought  better 
of  it,"  and  had  followed  us. 

William  and  James came  to  the  Rectory  after- 
wards, for  conversation  and  advice.  James  shewed 
me  his  well-worn  card  of  prayer,  which  he  said  had 


7fi  FEARS  AND  HOPES. 

never  left  his  pocket  since  the  day  he  had  received  it, 
excepting  when  he  took  it  out  each  night  and  morn- 
ing, to  remind  himself  to  use  it.  William  said  that 
he  kept  his  Testanient  and  card  of  prayer  on  a  little 
table  by  his  bed,  that  he  might  remember  to  read  and 
pray  the  last  thing  at  night  and  the  first  in  the  morn- 
ing. I  begged  them  to  be  firm  in  not  missing  the 
Sunday  morning  service,  because  it  was  best  to  begin 
the  day  with  God;  and  a  morning  at  home  was  seldom 
so  spent  as  to  be  a  good  preparation  for  the  afternoon 
service.  William  said  "  he  had  found  that  out,  and 
wished  to  come  regularly  of  a  morning."  He  begged 
me  to  write  down  on  a  card  the  passage  of  Scripture 
quoted  to  him,  "  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the 
Sabbath,  from  doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy  day; 
and  call  the  Sabbath  a  delight,  the  holy  of  the  LoED, 
honourable ;  and  shalt  honour  him,  not  doing  thine 
own  ways,  nor  finding  thine  own  pleasure,  nor  speak- 
ing thine  own  words :  then  shalt  thou  delight  thyself 
in  the  Loed  ;  and  I  will  cause  thee  to  ride  upon  the 
high  places  of  the  earth — for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  it." 

One  Sunday  morning,  I  met  Henry  Hunns,  gaily 
dressed  in  a  blue  jacket,  blue  cap,  red  tie,  and  white 
trousers,  as  a  sort  of  anticipation  of  summer  on  a 
bitterly  cold  day  in  February-  Without  waiting  to 
speak  to  me,  he  rushed  into  a  cottage,  and  brought 
out  a  fine  little  boy  of  three  years  old,  the  child  of 


FEARS  AND  HOPES.  77 

his  sister,  who  had  just  arrived  with  her  hushand 
from  Norfolk.  ^^  I  am  going  to  take  him  to  church 
now,"  said  Henry.  "  He  is  young  for  that,"  I 
replied.  "Yesj  I  like  him  to  learn  his  duty  be- 
times." As  they  walked  by  my  side  to  the  churcli, 
he  remarked,  "  I  suppose  we  militia  men  will  soon 
be  called  out  now  to  defend  the  country,  as  the 
regulars  are  off.  I  don't  mind  about  going,  so  much, 
now  that  I  hope  I  've  learnt  Who  I  can  look  to,  to 
teach  and  strengthen  me." 

Some  strangers  were  lingering  about  the  village 
street,  who  had  succeeded  the  previous  day  in  obtain- 
ing the  promise  of  work  at  the  Crystal  Palace.  They 
were  glad  to  hear  of  the  evening  reading,  having  no 
Sunday  clothes  wherewith  to  make  their  appearance 
in  church  to  their  own  satisfaction.  The  navvy  has  a 
peculiar  enjoyment  in  being  cleanly  and  well-dressed 
on  Sunday.  These  strangers  expressed  great  delight 
when  Testaments  were  given,  after  the  "reading"  was 
over,  to  all  who  had  not  yet  received  them.  All  the 
men  from  "The  Coach  and  Horses"  were  present. 
One  of  them,  a  lad  of  eighteen,  gladly  promised  to 
teach  the  short  prayer  to  those  who  could  not  read ; 

and  Charles  S said  that  this  youth  had  borrowed 

a  Bible  belonging  to  his  mother,  the  landlady,  to 
read  to  the  rest,  after  supper,  the  last  few  evenings. 

On  the  way  home,  I  saw  a  young  man  sitting  at 
the  door  of  a  lodging-house ;  and,  after  a  few  remarks 


78  PEAES  AND  HOPES. 

to  him  about  the  place,  inquired  whether  he  had 
attended  either  service  in  church  that  day  ? 

"  No.     I  never  go  to  such  a  place." 

"  Will  you  tell  me  why  you  do  not?" 

"  Because  it  would  do  me  no  good." 

"  Do  you  read  your  Bible?" 

"  No.     That  would  do  me  no  good  neither." 

"  Shall  I  tell  you  whr.t  would  do  you  good?"  He 
looked  up.  "  If  you  and  I  pray  every  day  that  God 
would  fill  you  with  His  Holy  Spirit.  I  will  pray  it 
for  you,  by  God's  help,  if  you  will  promise  to  pray  it 
for  yourself." 

His  lip  trembled,  as  he  slowly  and  earnestly 
replied,  "  I  will." 


CHAPTER   VI. 


"And  some  of  them  of  trnderstanding  shall  fall,  to  try  them,  and  to 
purge  and  to  make  them  white,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end,  because  it 
is  yet  for  a  time  appointed." 


It  was  towards  the  close  of  the  month  of  March  that 
a  dark  shadow  fell  upon  the  heart-cheering  work 
which  had  hitherto,  by  the  grace  of  God,  been  made 
to  prosper  in  our  hands. 

One  Monday  morning,  Mary  E came  to  tell 

me  a  miserable  story,  which  made  my  whole  heart 
cold  with  disappointment  and  distress.     On  Sunday 

afternoon,  Martha  W had  asked  her  husband  not 

to  go  to  church,  but  to  take  a  walk  with  her,  instead. 
He  told  her  that  he  would  go  with  the  greatest  pleasure 
after  service,  but  could  not  "  miss  his  church."  She 
became  irritated,  and  spoke  bitterly  of  his  "  church- 
going  ways."  This  was  renewed  at  tea-time,  until 
at  length  his  spirit  was  stung ;  and  he  said  in  his 
anger,  "  Then  I  '11  throw  away  my  religion  alto- 
gether, and  you  shall  have  a  drunkard  again  for  your 
husband." 

His  fearful  word  was  kept,  that  night.  The  next 
day  his  misery  and  shame  were  so  great,  that  he  drank 
again,  to  drown  remembrance  and  remorse.  News 
of  this,  also,  reached  me  on  my  way  to  the  reading. 

F 


82  WANDERERS  RECLAIMED. 

I  went  to  his  cottage,  and  found  his  wife  alone  with 
her  babjj  in  an  agony  of  remorse  and  fear.  She  had 
heard  that  he  had  been  seen  last  on  his  way  to  a 
reservoir,  a  few  miles  distant,  and  believed  he  might 
be  tempted  to  drown  himself,  to  avoid  the  shame  of 
returning  to  Beckenham — the  scene  of  his  new  life 
and  holy  happiness,  and  then  of  his  grievous  fall.  She 
saw  so  clearly  her  sin  and  folly,  and  the  wreck  thus 
made  of  the  happy  home  with  which  God  had  blessed 
her  for  many  a  month  past,  that  there  was  little  need 
for  me  to  add  to  her  misery  by  pointing  it  out. 

The  cottage  rooms  that  night  were  more  than  usually 
crowded.     But  the  loss  of  that  happy  face  of  James 

W from  his  accustomed  place,  with  a  haunting 

fear  lest  I  should  never  see  him  here  again,  or  see 
him  happy  hereafter,  and  a  whisper  that  Henry 
Hunns  had  been  likewise  led  astray,  overwhelmed  me, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  thirteenth  verse  of  the  eighth 
of  Komans,  my  voice  failed. 

They  all  looked  up  in  consternation,  and  then  I 
told  them  that  two  men  amongst  them,  whom  I  had 
known  longest,  and  of  whom  I  had  almost  the  best 
hope,  had  gone  astray  like  lost  sheep,  having  been 
taken  captive  by  the  devil,  at  his  will. 

There  were  very  fervent  voices  joining  in  prayer 
that  night.  On  my  way  from  the  cottage,  I  found 
them  waiting  in  groups  to  say  "  God  bless  you,"  or 
"  please  take  heart  again,"  in  low,  kind  tones,  as  I 


WANDEREKS  RECLAIMED.  83 

passed.     Near  James  W 's  cottage  door,  I  saw 

Henry  Hunns  leaning  against  a  wall,  looking  heavy 
and  unhappy.    I  spoke  to  him  strongly  of  his  sin  ;  and 

then  asked  him  if  he  had  seen  James  W .     He 

said,  "  Yes — in  a  tavern  at  Penge,  half  an  hour  ago." 

Mrs  W said  she  would  go  and  fetch  him  home. 

Knowing  that  it  would  not  be  safe  for  her  to  meet  him 
alone,  in  a  stata  of  intoxication,  as  they  had  parted 

with  a  quarrel,  I  told  her  to  accept  Mary  E 's  kind 

proposal  of  accompanying  her,  with  Isaac  K for 

an  escort,  as  he  had  become  so  steady  as  to  be  safely 
intrusted  with  such  an  enterprise. 

They  found  him  where  Henry  said  he  had 
seen  him,  surrounded  by  about  thirty  or  forty  of  the 
navvies  who  were  lodging  in  that  neighbourhood, 
and  succeeded  in  leading  him  home.  At  half-past 
seven  the  next  morning,  I  walked  to  his  cottage. 
Five  minutes  more,  and  he  would  have  left  Becken- 
ham,  never  to  return.  He  was  just  looking  his  last 
at  his  little  boy.  But  even  that  did  not  soften  his 
heart.  His  face  was  so  changed  that  it  was  difficult 
to  recognise  him.  A  possessing  spirit  had  altered  the 
expression  of  every  feature. 

My  heart  sunk  so  low  that  I  could  not  speak  at 
first.  When  I  did,  he  would  neither  look  up,  nor 
answer  a  single  question.  No  appeal  to  past  expe- 
rience had  any  effect.  At  last  he  said,  "  I  have  given 
it  all  up.     I  have  sold  my  soul  for  drink — and  all 


84  WANDERERS  RECLAIMED. 

through  rage  and  revenge.  There  remains  no  more 
pardon  for  me — nor  would  I  seek  it  if  there  was." 

Nearly  an  hour  passed.  There  was  no  softening. 
Never  before  had  I  so  learnt  my  own  utter  powerless- 
ness  to  influence  the  soul  of  another.  All  the  powers 
of  darkness  seemed  leagued  against  my  feebleness. 
There  was  but  one  hope  left.  I  knelt  down  and 
poured  out  my  heart  in  prayer  that  God  the  Holy 
Spirit  would  drive  out  the  Evil  Spirit,  and  take  pos- 
session of  that  soul  again.  He  would  not  kneel,  but 
seemed  somewhat  touched.  "  You  have  been  like  a 
mother  to  me,"  he  said.  "If  anybody  could  per- 
suade another  out  of  sin,  you  would  persuade  me. 
But  it  is  done — past  hope.  I  am  going  now,  for 
ever,  from  my  wife  and  Beckenham,  and  from  you, 
and  from  my  God." 

He  rose  to  go.  I  took  his  wife  by  the  hand,  and 
led  her  to  him,  and  told  him  of  her  grief  and  peni- 
tence for  her  great  sin,  whereby  she  had  stirred 
up  his.  And  then  Martha  wept,  and  said,  "Oh, 
James,  I  will  go  to  church  with  you  every  Sunday 
henceforth,  and  be  obedient  and  kind — God  helping 
me — if  you  will  come  back  to  your  God,  and  forgive 
me. 

He  sat  sullenly.  I  knew  then  it  was  "  now  or 
never;"  and  with  the  silent  prayer,  "0  God,  help 
now ! "  I  said,  "  James,  give  your  hand  to  your  wife 
now;  or  you  throw  back  her  soul  to  Satan."    He 


WANDERERS  RECLAIMED.  85 

stretched  out  his  hand  to  her,  turned  his  head  aside, 
and  wept. 

Two  evenings  afterwards,  on  my  way  for  a  class  of 
navvies  who  had  met  to  read  on  the  subject  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  I  called  again.  James  met  me  with 
tears  and  blessings.  ^'  You  saved  me,  then,  by  the 
help  of  God.  But  my  sin  has  been  grievous."  Of 
course  he  did  not  attend  the  class  that  night.  Henry 
Hnnns  was  lodging  in  the  house  where  it  was  held. 
He  hid  himself  in  the  back  room.  I  spoke  sorrowfully 
to  him  for  a  short  time  afterwards.  Thomas  Dibley 
carried  my  lantern  home.      I  asked  him  if,  as  he 

returned,  he  could  spare  time  to  see  James  W 

and  read  him  the  chapter  we  had  just  been  reading — 
Ephesians  v.  He  did  so.  On  Saturday  night  I 
found  those  two  reading  it  again.  James  pointed 
out  the  words  '^  nor  foolish  talking  nor  jesting,  which 
are  not  convenient" — adding,  ^'  all  that  condemns 
me.  It  has  always  been  the  beginning  of  evil  with 
me." 

Just  before  I  left  the  Eectory  that  evening,  Henry 
Hunns  called  to  see  me.  He  hid  his  face  in  his 
hands  and  sobbed,  "  It  has  been  down  hill  almost 

ever  since  I  was  'ticed  into  that  public-house  at , 

nigh  six  weeks  ago.  I  have  gradually  grown  colder  to 
the  things  of  God,  and  not  thought  so  hard  of  sinj 
and  then  came  this  fall." 

"Who  led  you  into  it?" 


86  WANDERERS  RECLAIMED. 

"My  own  evil  heart.     I've  no  cause  to  n^ention 

others  ;   only  it  wasn't  James  W ,  and  needn't 

have  been  anybody,  if  I  hadn't  been  sinful  enough 
to  yield." 

His  grief  was  great,  and  there  seemed  a  clearer 
view  of  the  injury  to  the  cause  of  God,  and  the  real 
personal  wrong  he  had  done  to  his  Saviour,  than 
even  in  James's  mind.  "  I  have  wept  bitterly  every 
night  since  it  happened,"  he  said. 

The  genuine  and  deep  repentance  of  that  poor 
young  man — brought  up,  as  he  had  been,  without  a 
single  religious  advantage — taught  me  a  lesson! 
When  the  balance  shall  be  struck  between  small 
sins  (so  called)  with  great  privileges,  in  the  one  scale  j 
— and  crying  sins  with  few  responsibilities,  in  the 
other  scale — who  shall  say  that  infinite  justice  may 
not  see  deeper  guilt  in  the  unkind  word,  the  uncharit- 
able suspicion,  the  selfish  act,  and  other  manifestations 
of  an  un-Christ-like  spirit,  in  which  Christians  are  too 
often  tempted  to  indulge,  than  in  the  more  glaring 
departures  from  the  law  of  God  of  those  who  have  but 
just  begun  to  hear  of  a  Saviour's  love,  and  to  know 
anything  of  its  constraining  power. 

When  I  told  Henry  that  he  might  carry  my  lantern 
by  my  side  down  the  village,  his  countenance  ex- 
pressed great  surprise,  and  he  said,  "  What,  after  all, 
will  you  let  me?"  At  the  door  of  the  cottage  where 
the  men  who  gave  me  the  basket  on  New  Year's  Day 


WANDERERS  RECLAIMED.  87 

were  to  meet  me  for  each  to  receive  the  gift  of  a  well- 
bound  Bible,  I  bade  Henry  "  good  night."  "  May  I 
not  wait  for  you,  ma'am?"  "  It  is  Saturday  night, 
Henry,  and  you  have  some  shopping  to  do."  "  I  can 
get  all  I  want,  and  come  back  again."  He  was  "  in 
waiting"  as  usual,  when  I  came  out  of  the  cottage; 
so  I  walked  home,  with  the  returning  wanderer  by 
my  side,  thanking  God,  with  an  overflowing  heart, 
for  this  fresh  fulfilment  of  His  own  promise,  "  I  will 
he?  \  their  backsliding,  I  will  love  them  fireely ;  for 
m'-.ie  anger  is  turned  away  from  him."* 

In  the  evening,  something  of  his  old  brightness 
shone  in  his  eyes,  as  he  entered  the  cottage,  after 
having  attended  the  school-room  service.  But  on  the 
way  back,  he  said,  "  I'm  not  a  bit  happier,  beyond 
for  a  time,  when  I  can  forget  it  all.  I'm  very 
miserable." 

"  But  do  you  not  believe  in  these  words,  "  If  we 
confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us 
our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness." 
And  "  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son,  cleanseth 
us  from  all  sin." 

"  I  believe  in  my  head,  but  not  in  my  heart." 

I  saw  the  conviction  of  sin  was  very  deep,  and 
felt  it  v/as  Avell  not  to  disturb  it ;  only  to  suggest  the 
remedy,  and  to  trust  to  the  Holy  Spirit  to  apply  it, 
with  power,  in  His  own  time. 

•  Hosea,  xir.  4. 


88  WANDEREES  RECLAIMED. 

The  next  evening,  James  W began  again  to 

attend  the  readings.  He  did  not  venture  into  his  old 
place,  but  took  a  seat  at  the  furthest  corner  of  the 
room.  His  whole  countenance  and  manner  were 
remarkably  subdued.  Thomas  Dibley  said  to  me 
afterwards,  "James  feels  his  sin  wonderful." 

Shortly  afterwards,  during  a  few  days'  absence 
from  Beckenham,  I  received  the  following  letter  in 
Henry  Himns'  handwriting : — 

•'  April  23, 1854. 

"  Dear  Friend, — ^With  sorrow  I  write  these  few 
lines  to  you  for  dissgracing  myself  and  setting  a  bad 
example  to  the  other  young  beginers  but  I  hope  it 
will  pleas  God  to  forgive  me  all  past  sins,  and  blot 
out  all  my  iniquities,  and  give  me  firmer  faith  to  stand 
against  the  sin  that  so  easily  besetts  me ;  but  I  will 
pray  to  God  with  my  whole  heart  to  strengthen  me, 

and  James  W too.     I  know  it  will  be  a  great 

temtation  for  me  when  I  am  in  the  militia  for  I 
expect  we  shall  all  have  to  be  in  different  public- 
houses  but  I  must  not  doubt,  but  trust  in  the  Lord, 
for  I  know  He  can  keep  me  from  it  but  I  must 
pray  more  earnestly  than  I  have  done  these  few 
weeks  past.  I  have  gave  way  a  great  deal  to  the 
devil ;  but  the  Scripture  says  to  him,  '  So  far  shalt 
thou  go,  and  no  farther'  and  may  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God  keep  me  and  James  W in  the  know- 


WANDERERS  RECLAIMED.  89 

ledge  and  fear  of  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
and  all  that  ever  come  to  your  kind  lectures  and 
readings   and   I  hope  none  of  them  will  fall   into 

temtation  the  same  as  me  and  James  W .     But  I 

liope  the  Lord  will  not  give  me  over  to  the  devil  any 
more.  I  have  better  faith  that  He  will  keep  me  from 
sin  now.  Me  and  James  have  had  a  comfortable 
Sunday  morning.  The  text  was,  '  Then  were  the 
disciples  glad  when  they  saw  the  Lord.' 

"  So  I  conclude,  with  better  faith  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord. 

'^  Henry  Hunns. 
"  James  W ." 

About  the  same  time  Jacob  K ,  who  had  so  long 

wandered  from  the  good  way  which  he  seemed  to 
have  chosen  at  the  first,  desired  an  interview.  "I 
wished  to  tell  you,  ma'am,  how  very  unhappy  I 
have  been.  There 's  no  happiness  for  me  in  this 
world,  if  I  can't  come  back  to  my  God." 
"  What  has  revived  this  desire,  Jacob  ?" 
"  I  went  to  see  a  friend  at  the  village  of  Bedding- 
ton,  and  went  to  church  with  him.  There  I  heard  a 
beautiful  sermon  on  a  verse  of  the  psalm  that  first 
spake  home  to  me  when  I  was  at  sea  a  few  years 
ago — the  Fifty-first  Psalm,  and  the  verse  was — ^A 
broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  0  God,  thou  wilt  not 
despise.'    Then  it  kept  troubling  my  heart  how  to 


90  WANDERERS  RECLAIMED. 

get  my  spirit  broken.     But  that  might  have  passed 

away  if  it  had  not  been  for  what  James  W did. 

I  never  thought  James  would  have  gone  back  like  that. 
And  I  said  to  myself,  if  the  devil  gets  such  power 
over  him  again — him  as  has  walked  with  his  God  so 
many  months,  close-like — what  will  he  not  do  with 
me  when  he  gets  into  me  strong  ?  I  haven't  touched 
a  drop  of  beer  since,  and  I  Ve  been  praying  night  and 
morning." 

"And  do  you  also  pray  for  James?" 

"  Yes,  I  do ;  and  he  prays  for  himself,  and  is  sore 
sorry." 

Wonderful  is  the  overruling  power  of  that  gi-ace 
which  can  bring  back  a  wandering  sheep  even  by  a 
brother's  fall,  and  then  raise  up  the  fallen  one  again, 
"  To  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  wherein 
he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  Beloved ;  in  whom 
we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  for- 
giveness of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace, 
wherein  he  hath  abounded  towards  us  in  all  wisdom 
and  prudence." 


CHAPTER   VII. 


**  He  also  had  a  brave  victory  over  his  enemy :  let  Him  grant  that 
dwelleth  above  that  we  fare  no  worse,  when  we  come  to  be  tried,  than 
he  r'-— Pilobim's  Prooress. 


Whilst  waiting  for  a  train  at  Sydenham  Station 
one  day  in  the  spring  of  that  year,  1  gave  some  small 
books  to  two  young  railway  men  who  were  standing 
on  the  platform,  and  asked  if  they  had  either  a  Bible 
or  a  Testament.  One  replied,  "  I  Ve  a  little  pocket 
Testament,  and  T  wouldn't  sell  it  for  ever  so  much — 
no,  never ! " 

"  I  am  glad  you  prize  it  so  highly." 

^*  Well,  I  do ;  and  the  kind  friend  as  gave  it  me." 

"Who  gave  it  to  you?" 

"You!      Nigh   a   year   ago,    I   lodged   at  Mrs 

D 's  in  Beckenham ;  and  you  came  in  twice  of 

Sunday  evenings,  and  read  and  talked  to  us.  I 
have  read  my  Testament  most  nights  since,  and 
thought  a  deal  of  what  you  said,  and  wished  I  was 
back  again  to  hear  more.  I'm  at  work  in  Essex, 
and  only  came  down  to  fetch  a  mate  of  mine,  as  I 
didn't  know  how  to  direct  to.  And  little  did  I 
think  I  should  light  on  you,  ma'am.  It  is  a  plea- 
sure indeed." 

That  short  interview  was  like  a  wave  bringing 


94  SELF-CONQUEST. 

back,  after  many  days,  the  bread  "cast  upon  the 
waters." 

The  sensitiveness  of  these  fine  natures  to  every 
word  of  praise  or  blame  from  a  friend  whom  they 
valued  was  almost  affecting  in  some  cases.     Mary 

E came  to  the  rectory  one  evening  to  tell  me 

that  "Martin  had  been  talcing  on  terribly,  because 
one  of  them  had  told  him  at  the  works  that  I  had 
said  he  was  false."  On  the  previous  Sunday  even- 
ing, after  the  "reading,"  it  so  happened  that  I  had 
remarked — 

"I  thought  Martin  would  have  been  here.  He 
said  he  should  come,  and  I  thought  he  was  sure  to 
keep  his  word." 

He  had  been  sent  for  to  visit  a  sick  sister-in-law 
at  Sydenham,  to  whom  his  kindness  was  most  bro- 
therly and  tender  until  her  death,  some  weeks  later. 

Mary  E said,  "He  was  broken-hearted  when 

he  heard  the  men  say  that  you  had  called  him 
^  false,'  ma'am.  He  has  such  a  tender  spirit.  When- 
ever a  man  of  his  gang  falls  sick,  he  sends  for  Martin 
to  put  his  pillow  right  and  say  a  kind  word ;  and 
many  a  nice  bit  of  fish  or  something  delicate  he  buys 
for  his  sister-in-law,  now  she  is  ill." 

Of  course,  I  lost  not  a  moment  in  writing  him  a 
letter  in  printing  hand,  to  tell  him  the  precise  words 
I  had  used,  and  how  sorry  I  felt  that  even  so  small 
a  foundation  should  have  been  laid  by  me  for  the 


SELF-CONQUEST,  95 

charge  brought  against  him — adding,  that  I  would 
take  his  word  as  trustfully  as  any  man's  bond. 

He  stopped  after  the  school-room  service  was  con- 
cluded on  Thursday  evening  to  thank  me,  with  tears 
in  his  honest  eyes.  "  It  was  so  good  of  ye,  and  made 
me  feel  so  happy  and  satisfied — a  most  proud-like." 

Early  in  the  spring,  John  J came  to  bid  me 

good-bye,  employment  having  been  offered  him  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Paddington.  He  said  he  had 
brought  on  a  terrible  disease  in  his  chest  by  hard 
drinking,  a  year  or  two  before  he  came  to  this  neigh- 
bourhood ;  yet  when,  after  much  severe  suffering,  he 
had  left  a  London  hospital  cured,  he  had  gone  back 
to  the  evil  habit,  and  never  had  known  how  to  stop, 
until  he  came  to  Eeckenham,  and  went  to  the  read- 
ings, and  then  to  church.  I  said,  "  If  you  do  not 
find  your  soul  cared  for,  at  the  place  to  which  you  are 
going,  as  mucb  %b  it  K^  been  h^-vt,  will  you  come 
back  again,  John  ?'' 

^'Well,  that  I  don't  look  for,  go  where  I  may. 
But  if  I  can't  stand  temptation  away  from  here,  I  '11 
come  back." 

He  had  kept  his  little  Testament  carefully,  yet 
bearing  signs  of  having  been  read ;  so  I  gave  him  a 
small  Bible,  to  his  great  joy.  "I  was  just  thinking 
of  buying  one,  but  shall  love  to  have  this  as  a  part- 
ing gift.  Please,  ma'am,  look  at  Revelation  ii.  10, 
the  end  of  the  verse." 


96  SELF-CONQUEST. 

I  read — "  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will 
give  thee  a  crown  of  life." 

"  A  few  days  after  you  gave  me  the  Testament,  I 
happened  to  open  it  on  those  words.  What  they 
have  been  to  me  ever  since !  God  send  I  may  never 
forget  them!" 

He  promised  to  go  to  church  regularly,  and  added, 
"  I  shall  sometimes  run  over  and  spend  my.  Sundays 
here.  It  will  be  a  pleasant  ten-mile  walk  to  take  at 
five  in  the  morning  to  get  a  Beckenham  Sunday 
again,  I  have  so  loved  my  Sundays  here." 

He,  too,  had  a  praying  mother. 

A  few  weeks  after  he  had  left  Beckenham,  he 
wrote  to  tell  me  that  he  went  to  church  twice  every 
Sunday — adding,  "  and  in  the  evening  I  walk  in  the 
cemetery  for  quiet,  and  read  the  words  on  some  of 
the  gravestones,  being,  as  there  is,  no  lectures  here  on 
Sunday  nights." 

He  came  to  Beckenham  for  Easter  Sunday,  and, 
three  months  later,  wrote  the  following  letter : — 

"  Dear  Friend, — I  received  your  letter  on  Sunday 
morning,  and  was  very  glad  to  hear  from  you,  and  a 
very  comfortable  letter  it  was  to  me.  It  gave  me 
great  pleasure  on  reading  it.  I  will  come  over  next 
Sunday,  if  I  can  get  any-ways.  I  have  been  very 
ill.  I  have  not  done  any  work  these  last  seven 
weeks  but  thank  God  I  am  getting  better  now.    I 


SELF-CONQUEST.  97 

intend  going  to  work  this  week  if  I  can.  I  should 
like  to  see  you  once  more  again.  I  will  be  sure  and 
come  over  next  Sunday,  if  God  spares  my  life.  I  go 
to  Westbourne  Grove  School  Monday  and  Wednesday 
night,  and  I  go  to  St  John's  Church,  Nottinghill, 
on  Sunday.  I  have  never  neglected  going  to  church 
since  I  left  your  place  nor  I  hope  I  never  shall.  I 
have  had  several  friends  to  see  me  since  I  have  been 
ill.  I  gave  them  a  tract  a-piece — what  you  gave  me 
when  I  left.  I  have  not  got  one  left  now;  but  my 
Bible,  Prayer-book,  and  Testament  I  still  keep,  and 
always  will.  I  would  sooner  part  from  anything  I 
have  than  them.  I  shall  bring  them  with  me  when 
I  come.  I  have  not  seen  any  one  but  little  Charles 
that  was  at  Beckenham,  and  he  is  listed  for  a  soldier 
in  the  Eifle  Brigade.  When  I  met  him  I  had  a  little 
conversation  with  him,  and  told  him  not  to  forget 
his  Saviour,  who  died  for  him.  He  told  me  he 
would  not.  I  told  him  to  be  steady.  He  said  he 
would.  I  asked  him  whether  he  saw  you.  He  told 
me  he  had  not  since  he  left.  I  told  him  to  go  to 
church  when  he  could :  what  would  it  profit  a  man 
if  he  should  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own 
soul,  or  what  would  he  give  in  exchange  for  it? 
Let  him  seek  the  Lord  while  He  may  be  found,  and 
call  upon  him  while  he  is  near.  ^  Let  the  wicked  for- 
sake his  ways,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts, 
and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have 
G 


98  SELF-CONQUEST. 

mercy  upon  hirrij  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abun- 
dantly pardon.'  I  had  a  few  more  words  with  him. 
He  said,  ^I  wish  I  was  like  you,'  and  the  tears 
flowed  in  his  eyes.  I  put  my  hand  in  my  pocket, 
and  gave  him  a  shilling.  He  thanked  me  for  it  and 
for  my  advice  to  him,  and  we  both  parted,  perhaps 
never  to  meet  again.  1  shall  be  over  on  Sunday 
morning  by  church-time.  I  have  no  more  to  write 
this  time.     So  no  more  from 

"John  J ." 

One  Sunday  evening,  Thomas  Dibley  asked  for 
special  prayer  for  a  dying  friend  at  Sydenham,  whom 
he  visited  daily  throughout  his  illness  (of  brain  fever), 
in  the  hope  of  being  able  to  speak  to  him  about  the 
things  concerning  his  peace.  "  I  had  such  an  answer 
to  prayer,  to-diiy,"  he  said.  "  The  delirium  ceased 
for  full  ten  minutes,  and  I  repeated  by  him  the 
prayer  that  I  love  so  dearly,  and  made  a  bit  more, 
and  he  caught  at  it  so !" 

The  next  day  I  found  the  poor  man  was  quite 
clear  in  his  mind,  and  eager  for  prayer,  and  the 
readings  of  God's  Word.  He  had  been  in  the  habit 
of  drinking  to  excess  whilst  working  in  Sweden; 
but  on  the  day  he  landed  in  England,  he  deter- 
mined to  break  it  off  by  a  desperate  effort.  Per- 
haps he  did  it  too  suddenly;  but  there  was  some- 
thing to  be  honoured  in  that  effort  to  reform  at  any 


SELF-CONQUEST.  99 

sacrifice.  He  continued  to  thirst  for  the  Word  of 
God  and  prayer  to  his  last  conscious  moment.  Cap- 
tain Vicars'  prayer  by  his  side  was  almost  the  last  he 
heard,  but  his  own  fevered  lips  murmured  the  words 
which  Thomas  Dibley  had  taught  him,  almost  from 
hour  to  hour,  until  his  death.  His  "  mates"  took  it 
in  turn  to  sit  up  with  him  at  night,  mindless  of  their 
hard  work  by  day;  and  treasured  up  every  word 
which  encouraged  their  hopes  that  he  had  found  peace 
with  God  upon  his  dying  bed. 

About  the  time  that  Henry  Hunns  left  for  two 
months'  service  in  a  militia  regiment  in  the  spring, 
a  brother-in-law  of  his,  who  had  been  much  opposed 
to  religion,  and  had  been  in  the  habit  of  making- 
bitter  jests  at  him,  came  to  a  cottage-reading,  and 
asked  leave  to  bring  a  letter  of  Henry's  to  the  Rec- 
tory for  me  to  read.  When  he  brought  it  to  me, 
he  said,  "  I  never  knew  such  a  changed  man  as 
Henry  has  been  the  last  half-year.  Just  look  at  his 
clothes ! "  It  is  an  indisputable  sign  of  steadiness 
when  a  navvy  replenishes  his  wardrobe ! 

William  C then  spoke  of  his  lovely  little  baby, 

whom  I  was  visiting  in  its  dangerous  illness.  "  As 
white  as  alabaster,"  he  said,  *' isn't  he?  and  eyes 
like  violets.  I  believe  he  won't  live — he  's  too  clever 
• — knows  everything — never  sees  anything  that 's  nice 
but  he  cries  for  it — too  clever  and  too  pretty  to  live, 
hut  I  dont  liki  lie  should  die,* 


100  SELF-CONQUEST. 

''  God  grant  he  may  be  spared  to  grow  up  a  good 
and  happy  man.  And  oh !  William,  do  yon  think 
that  God  liked  to  see  His  own  Son  die  upon  a  cross  j 
and  yet  He  let  Him  do  it  for  the  sake  of  saving  us — 
you  and  me,  and  every  other  poor  sinner  that  will 
take  Him  at  His  word,  and  let  Him  save  us.  Do 
let  Him  save  you^ 

His  heart  was  softened,  and  he  could  scarcely 
reply  "  God  bless  you,"  as  I  gave  him  Walter 
Cradock's  beautiful,  brief  words,  called,  "  Good  news 
from  heaven  to  the  worst  of  sinners  on  earth." 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 

fast  il«tiiigs  aitJr  fast  |arlrap. 


'-*  Farewell !    '  But  not  for  ever/  Hope  replies; 
'  Trace  but  his  steps,  and  iseet  him  in  the  skiail"' 


The  warmest  interest  was  taken  by  the  navvies  in 
everything  touching  the  welfare  of  our  army,  from 
that  day  in  the  month  of  February  1854,  when  the 
order  for  the  Guards  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness 
for  active  service  in  the  East,  startled  England  into 
the  sudden  conviction  that  the  peace  of  forty  years 
was  broken. 

Some  ten  weeks  earlier,  a  private  of  the  Grenadier 
Guards,  named  Henry  Bonfield,  was  passing  through 
the  village,  when  I  was  on  ray  way  for  a  Sunday  even- 
ing "  reading."  He  accepted  a  Testament  gratefully, 
and  asked  me  to  write  his  name  in  it,  with  the  short 
prayer  which  I  had  mentioned  to  him.  For  this 
purpose,  we  entered  a  cottage,  and  its  owners  gladly 
united  with  ns  in  praying  that  the  Word  of  God 
might  be  made  the  means  of  his  being  brcught  from 
darkness  to  light.  The  day  before  the  regiment 
Bailed  for  the  East,  he  wrote  to  say  that  his  Testament 
and  his  little  prayer  were  his  chief  comforts.  He 
begged  that  the  souls  of  his  wife  and  child  might 
be  cared  for;    and  asked  for  further  advice  to  be 


104  LAST  MEETINGS  AND  LAST  PARTINGS. 

written  to  meet  him  at  Malta.  From  thence,  he 
wrote  to  say  that  he  had  copied  the  prayer  for  a  great 
many  men  in  his  own  regiment,  and  in  others ; 
because  it  had  brought  grace  and  peace  to  his  own 
soul.     He  did  not  live  to  return  home. 

This  man  was  one  of  fifteen  soldiers  and  officers 
whose  names  were  specially  pleaded  in  prayer  at  all 
our  cottage  meetings  from  the  time  of  their  being 
sent  out  on  active  service.  Very  earnest  was  the 
interest  of  the  navvies  in  uniting  in  prayer  that  God 
would  teach  us  what  could  be  done  for  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  our  soldiers.  And  when  the  plan  was 
suggested  for  an  immediate  subscription  to  be  raised 
to  purchase  Testaments  for  each  man  in  the  regi- 
ments then  under  orders  for  the  East  (before  the 
Bible  Societies  came  forward  with  their  liberal  grant), 
it  was  by  the  navvies  combining  with  a  few  villagers 
who  attended  that  cottage  reading,  that  the  first  dona- 
tion, of  fifteen  shillings,  was  offered  for  this  supply. 
Their  anxiety  was  great  to  hear  that  the  Testaments 
were  in  time  to  reach  the  regiment  on  the  point  of 
sailing  (the  Scots  Fusilier  Guards).  A  letter  from 
a  missionary  of  the  Soldiers'  Friend  Society,  to 
whom  we  entrusted  the  work  of  carrying  them  to  the 
ship,  was  listened  to  with  two  or  three  scarcely 
repressed  shouts  of  joy ;  and  his  details  of  the  faci- 
lities afforded  him  for  their  distribution,  by  the  com- 
manding officer,  at  the   request  of  Captain  A—— 


LAST  MEETINGS  AND  LAST  PARTINGS.  105 

of  that  regiment,  called  forth,  at  the  conclusion, 
an  irrepressible  cheer,  which  ended  in  an  earnest 
"Thank  God!" 

The  warm  attachment,  amounting  almost  to  venera- 
tion, formed  bj  these  men  for  Captain  Vicars  of  the 
97th  Regiment,  during  his  visits  to  us  in  the  preced- 
ing autumn  and  winter,  together  with  the  strong  ties 
of  relationship  which  bound  many  of  them  to  our 
soldiers,  gave  the  character  of  prayer  meetings  for 
the  army  to  our  little  gatherings,  from  that  time. 

Letters  from  the  seat  of  war  were  listened  to  with 
thrilling  interest,  especially  those  which  were  written 
by  Captain  Vicars,  during  the  ten  months  which 
followed  his  embarkation  for  the  East,  before  he 
entered  into  his  rest.  In  the  course  of  those  months, 
three  of  the  railway  men  who  had  known  him  in 
Beckenham,  enlisted  in  regiments  recruiting  for  the 
war,  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  going  to  the  Crimea,  to 
be  within  reach  of  Captain  Vicars.  Only  one  of  the 
three  saw  his  face  again. 

It  was  on  the  29th  of  March  that  he  gave  them, 
as  we  then  thought,  his  farewell  address  and  prayer. 
About  one  hundred  and  twenty  were  present.  Many 
of  them  were  deeply  affected.  Several  lingered  near 
the  door  afterwards,  to  catch  his  hand,  as  he  left,  for 
a  parting  grasp ;  and  there  agreed  amongst  themselves 
to  have  a  little  gathering  of  their  own,  every  Sunday 
morning,  at  James  W 's  house,  to  pray  for  him. 


M)6  LAST  MEETINGS  AND  LAST  TARTINGS. 

But  the  delay  of  seven  weeks  before  the  97th 
Regiment  actually  sailed,  gave  them  several  more 
opportunities  of  hearing  the  words  of  life  from  the 
lips  of  one  whose  manly  simplicity  and  power  of 
character,  combined  with  the  most  genial  warmth  of 
hearty  peculiarly  qualified  him  to  obtain  an  influence 
over  these  noble  children  of  nature. 

On  the  10th  of  May,  he  addressed  upwards  of  a 
hundred  of  them,  for  the  last  time,  on  the  5th  chapter 
of  the  2d  of  Corinthians,  especially  dwelling  on  the 
words,  "We  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ,"  and  "The  love  of  Christ  constraineth 
us." 

We  were  obliged  to  be  absent  from  home,  at  that 
time,  and  many  regrets  were  expressed  to  me  by 
letter,  that  I  had  missed  hearing  "the  good,  kind, 
beautiful  things"  that  were  said  in  that  farewell 
address. 

William  G walked  over  from  Deptford  to  hear 

it;  and  fearing  to  make  Captain  Yicars  too  late  for 
the  train,  if  he  added  to  the  thicket  of  hands  sur- 
rounding him  for  a  parting  shake,  he  ran  after  the 
carriage  which  conveyed  him  to  Sydenliam  station, 
but  missed  him  in  the  dark.  He  then  wrote  to  ask 
me  if  he  could  see  Captain  Vicars  any  where  again. 
I  mentioned  that  at  the  railway  station,  London 
Bridge,  he  might  be  able  to  see  him  for  a  few  minutes 
about  eight  o'clock  the  following  evening. 


LAST  MEETINGS  AND  LAST  PARIINGS.  107 


An  hour  before  the  time  appointed  William  G- 


was  at  the  station ;  and  then  was  well  repaid  by  an 
hom-'s  -walk  and  talk  with  this  so  loved  and  honoured 
friend,  who  wrote  of  it  to  me  thus — "  Never  have  I 
more  heartily  enjoyed  an  hour's  communion  with  a 
brother  in  the  Lord  Jesus." 

Henry  Hunns  had  received  orders  to  join  his  regi- 
ment, then  the  Westminster  Militia,  on  the  morning 
of  the  10th.  But,  with  the  independence  of  the  navvy 
not  yet  merged  into  the  obedience  of  the  soldier,  he 
wrote  me  word  that  he  "  should  give  himself  leave  to 
wait  and  see  Captain  Vicars."  In  a  reply,  by  return 
of  post,  I  said  "  Captain  Vicars  will  not  notice  you 
if  you  neglect  your  duty  as  a  soldier."  So  he  went 
at  the  time  appointed.  But  it  laid  heavily  on  my 
heart  that  I  had  cut  him  off  from  his  last  chance  of 
an  interview  with  one  whose  words  and  example  had 
so  powerful  an  influence  for  good  over  him,  and  that 
I  could  not  calculate  the  amount  of  benefit  of  which 
I  had  thus  deprived  the  poor  young  man. 

He  had  promised  to  write  to  me  with  his  address 
in  London,  and  I  had  planned  to  send  him  to  Ken- 
sington barracks  for  a  parting  word  with  his  valued 
friend  ;  but  Captain  Vicars'  last  day  in  England  had 
come,  and  yet  there  was  no  letter  from  Henry.  So 
by  the  early  post  I  sent  off  a  despatch,  directed  only 
"  Westminster  Militia,  London,"  to  tell  him,  if  he 
could  get  leave,  to  go  at  seven  o'clock  that  evening 


108  LAST  MEETINGS  AND  LAST  PAHTINGS. 

to  Mr  Goodliart's  church  at  Chelsea,  and  to  wait  for 
Captain  Vicars  at  the  vestry  door,  after  the  service 
was  over,  for  a  shake  of  the  hand  and  a  parting  bless- 
ing. 

The  letter  found  him  that  afternoon.  He  went  at 
once  for  leave,  and  then  ran  from  Shepherd's  Bush 
to  Chelsea  in  time  to  hear  the  sermon.  At  the 
appointed  place  he  met  Captain  Vicars,  who,  with  a 
night  of  work  before  him,  and  a  farewell  in  prospect 
for  the  next  morning,  which  a  voice  within  his  heart 
foretold  was  final,  cheerfully  spared  an  hour  to  walk 
with  the  militia-navvy,  speaking  words  of  wise  and 
kindly  counsel  which  were  never  to  be  forgotten. 


On  the  evening  of  the  1st  of  June,  a  lecture  was  to 
be  delivered  at  the  school-room  with  reference  to  the 
keeping  of  the  Sabbath,  by  Mr  Baylee,  the  Secretary 
of  the  Society  for  promoting  the  Observance  of  the 
Lord's-day.  I  ventured  to  go,  with  a  friend  who 
was  staying  with  us,  to  the  doors  of  the  public- 
houses,  to  request  the  strangers  who  had  recently 
arrived  to  attend.  They  came  in  large  numbers,  so 
as  to  fill  the  school-room.  As  I  knocked  at  the  door 
of  a  beer-shop,  a  notorious  drunkard  in  the  supper- 
room  saw  me,  and  said,  "  Here 's  the  lady  comes  that 
spoils  our  peace  with  the  beer-jugs ! " 


LAST  MEETINGS  AND  LAST  PARTINGS.  109 

"  Bar  her  out,  then,"  said  a  fine  young  man,  with- 
out deigning  to  turn  round.  I  turned  to  invite  the 
landlady ;  and  then  stood  still  for  a  minute,  waiting 
for  courage  to  speak  to  the  men  in  the  supper-room. 
The  landlady  said,  "  Would  you  like  to  invite  them, 
ma'am  ?"  I  then  asked  the  youth  who  had  proposed 
the  "  barring  out."  He  said  he  could  not  go,  as  he 
was  a  stranger,  and  must  leave  in  a  few  minutes. 
His  dog-cart  stood  at  the  door,  with  beer-bottles  in 
the  "  well."  "  Have  you  a  Bible  of  your  own  at 
home?" 

"Quantities!  but  they  have  never  done  me  any 
good.     They  do  for  women  and  cowards." 

"  Very  good  for  them,  without  a  doubt,"  I  replied, 
"  and  for  brave  men,  too.  I  happen  to  have  in  my 
pocket  a  letter  from  a  young  friend  of  mine,  who 
writes  from  the  Guards'  camp  at  Varna.  Listen  to 
what  he  says  about  the  comfort  of  the  Word  of  God 
and  prayer  for  the  Holy  Spirit." 

The  young  man  listened  to  it  with  melting  eyes ; 
and  then  said,  "  There 's  both  power  and  beauty  in 
that."  He  was  moved  to  tears  by  the  story  of 
Hedley  Vicars'  conversion ;  and  when  it  was  pressed 
upon  him  that  the  words,  "  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
His  Son  cleanse th  us  from  all  sin,"  were  just  as  true 
for  Mm;  and  would  he  not  likewise  say,  "  Then, 
henceforth,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  will  live  as  a 
washed  man  should,"  he  was  entirely  overcome,  and 


110  LAST  MEETINGS  AND  LAST  PARTINGS. 

rushed  out  of  the  house.  When  T  went  out,  he  was 
waiting  for  me,  to  say,  "  I  thought,  ma'am,  you  would 
let  me  speak  to  you  alone.  Will  you  let  me  buy 
one  of  your  little  Testaments,  and  will  you  write  my 
name  in  it,  and  that  text^  to  remind  me  of  what  you 
have  been  saying  to  me,  and  to  shew  to  my  two 
young  sisters."  His  lip  trembled  ;  and  he  said  again 
and  again,  "  God  bless  you,"  as  I  left  him,  with  the 
promise  of  sending  him  a  Testament  as  a  remem- 
brance, and  a  letter  with  it,  to  recall  to  him,  when  at 
a  distance,  the  subject  of  our  conversation. 

On  Whitsunday,  the  4th  of  June,  William  G ■ 

and  Thomas  Dibley  w^alked  from  Deptford  to  spend 
their  communion   Sabbath   in  Beckenham.      I  met 

them  walking  to   church  with  James  W and 

Richard  W (another  whose   steady  walk   and 

diligent  attendance  at  all  the  services  and  readings 
gave  me  great  satisfaction  that  year).  They  referred, 
in  the  evening,  with  affectionate  warmth,  to  their 
deepened  interest  in  the  prayers  for  the  army  since 
the  preceding  sacrament  Sunday,  Captain  Vicars  hav- 
ing sailed  for  the  East  on  the  19th  of  jMay.    William 

G spoke  of  the  hour  he  spent  with  him  on  the 

platform  of  the  London  Bridge  Station,  as  one  of  the 
best  delights  he  had  ever  known.  And  several  of 
the  men  alluded  with  deep  feeling  to  his  farewell 
address  to  them  in  the  month  of  May. 

Towards  the  end  of  June  I  left  home  for  threo  or 


LAST  MEETINGS  AND  LAST  PARTINGS.  Ill 

four  weeks.  Henry  Hunns  was  the  last  who  lingered 
at  the  gate  to  bid  me  farewell.  ^'  I  sometimes  feel," 
he  said,  "  as  if  I  had  better  die  than  grieve  the 
Lord  by  living  on  to  fall  away,  as  I  have  done. 
But  He  will  take  His  choice  about  me ;  and  all  I 
say  to  Him  is,  I'm  very  weak,  and  easily  led  away. 
If  I  can't  stand,  hadn't  I  better  go  Home  pretty 
soon?" 

That  was  the  last  time  I  ever  heard  the  frank  con- 
fessions of  his  simple,  true,  young  heart.  He  enlisted 
in  the  army  the  following  week,  and  wrote  me  word 
that  his  best  hope  in  so  doing  was  to  get  ordered  out 
to  where  Captain  Vicars  was,  that  his  blessed  example 
might  strengthen  him  to  walk  with  God.  "  I  am  a 
poor  sinner,"  he  added,  "  but  I  pray  twenty  times  a 
day  to  be  washed  from  it  all  in  my  Saviour's  blood, 
and  to  be  filled  with  His  Spirit,  and  sooner  or  later 
God  will  answer  me,  Avill  He  not?" 

That  He  did  answer  him,  who  can  doubt?  When 
did  He  ever  say  to  a  pleading  soul,  "  Seek  ye  my 
face  in  vain!"  "  What  soul  ever  perished  with  his 
face  toward  Jesus  Christ?"  He  died  of  cholera  soon 
after  landing  in  the  Crimea.  Perhaps  in  gracious 
accordance  with  his  own  suggestion,  "  Hadn't  I  better 
go  Home  pretty  soon." 


Of  *»» 

CHAPTER    IX. 

^t  libit  in  t\t  Camj. 


**  Lord,  it  is  not  life  to  live. 
If  Thy  presence  Thou  deny ; 
Lord,  if  Thou  Thy  presence  gin^ 
*Tis  no  longer  death  to  die. 

Source  and  Giver  of  repose. 
Only  from  Thy  love  it  flows  : 
Peace  and  happiness  are  Thite  j 
Mine  they  are,  if  Thou  art  minr," 


H 


Few  features  ir  Ire  cliaracter  of  tI\o  navvies  have 
attracted  my  admiration,  and  interested  me  so  warmly, 
as  their  power  of  strong  brotherly  friendship  for  each 
other.  Separated,  as  so  often  they  are  in  mere  boy- 
hood, from  the  sweet  influences  of  home — as  beauti- 
ful and  binding  in  the  cottage  as  in  the  castle — the 
yearning  of  the  young  heart  for  human  affection 
often  finds  its  response  in  a  friendship  formed  after 
the  fashion  of  the  unrivalled  love  which  glorified  the 
lives  of  Jonathan  and  David.  An  unselfish  regard, 
and  even  generous  preference  for  each  other's  benefit, 
is  no  uncommon  trait ;  and  many  a  man  have  I  seen, 
in  time  of  siciuiess,  supported  by  his  "  mate"  with  si 
brother's  kindness,  and  nursed  with  a  mother's  gentle 
care. 

The  friendship  between  Samuel  Bush  and  Joseph 

W was  an  instance  of  this.    They  had  wandered 

about  the  country  together,  and  had  worked  side  by  side, 
mutually  sharing  their  gains,  and  nursing  each  other 
through  illness  and  accident.  Together  they  had  too 
often  joined  in  the  reckless  revelry  of  the  public- 


116  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP. 

house ;  together  they  had  striven  against  its  tempta- 
tions ;  had  fallen  back  into  them  again ;  and  together 
they  had  made  fresh  efforts  to  live  a  new  life. 

It  was  in  the  month  of  February  1854,  that  Joseph 

W first  became  personally  known  to  me,  although 

Samuel  had  been  in  the  habit  of  bringing  him  to  the 
readings  for  some  time  previously. 

One  morning  Joseph  came  to  the  Rectory  in  breath- 
less haste,  with  a  request  that  I  would  come  and  see 
his  landlord,  whom  he  believed  to  be  dying  from  a 
sudden  attack  of  inflammation.  I  promised  to  go 
immediately  after  breakfast;  but  he  would  not  hear 
of  any  delay,  urging  that  it  might  be  too  late. 

When  we  reached  the  cottage  we  found  that  the 
poor  man  was  quite  sensible,  and  anxious  for  prayer. 
As  I  rose  from  my  knees,  I  heard  Joseph  going  down 
stairs,  sobbing ;  and  as  I  passed  through  the  kitchen 
on  my  way  out,  he  was  sitting  with  his  arms  on  the 
table  and  his  face  hidden.  I  said,  "  Joseph,  I  hope 
Clarke's  sudden  illness  speaks  to  you  to  be  ready." 

"  It  do,  it  do,"  he  said,  without  looking  up ;  '^  and 
I  hope  it  will  speak  to  Sammy,  too.  Sam  is  a  good 
boy,  if  it  weren't  for  the  drink  ;  but  that  has  been  the 
ruin  of  us  both." 

"  But  you  and  Samuel  are  both  trying  to  live  bet- 
ter lives  now  ?  Be  earnest  in  asking  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God  to  help  you  to  make  the  change  at  once,  for 
*  the  time  is  short.'  " 


THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP.  117 

"Yes;  is  it  not?"  (with  his  face  still  hidden.) 
"  Look  at  Clarke !     Oh,  I  hope  he'll  be  saved ! " 

"  I  think  you  must  have  had  a  good  mother,  Joseph, 
who  taught  you  something  of  the  value  of  an  undying 
soul." 

^'  A  good  mother !  Oh,  hadn't  I !  "  (looking  up 
brightly  through  his  tears.)  "  She  taught  me  to  pray, 
and  all  sorts  of  good  ways" — then,  suddenly  drop- 
ping his  head  again — "  but  I  broke  her  heart  nine 
years  ago." 

"  Oh,  Joseph !  how  sad  for  you  to  lose  so  good  a 
mother !" 

"  Oh,  but  she's  not  dead  though !  only  she  broke 
her  heart  about  my  taking  to  the  drink,  and  going 
away  from  her  on  navvy  work." 

"  Have  you  been  to  see  her  lately?" 

"  No,  not  for  nine  years." 

"  You  write  to  her,  of  course?" 

"  Well,  no,  I  don't." 

"  Why,  how  is  that  ?  You  can  write,  can  you  not  ?" 

"  Oh  yes ;  but  you  see  there 's  so  many  things  to 
think  of  in  writing — too  many  for  a  navvy.  There's 
the  cover,  and  the  stamp,  and  the  paper,  and  the 
seal,  and  the  pen  and  ink ;  that 's  six." 

"Well,  if  you  will  come  with  me,  I  will  give  you 
a  'self-sealing'  cover  with  a  stamp  on  it,  and  the 
pen  and  paper,  and  the  ink  you  can  borrow  from 
your  landlady." 


118  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP. 

"  Well,  I  will  give  you  half-a-crown  for  them/* 

"  No;  Joseph ;  that  would  be  a  great  deal  more 
than  they  are  worth,  and  you  shall  have  them  as  a 
present.  But  go  to  the  post-office,  and  spend  your 
half-crown  in  stamps,  and  put  them  in  your  letter  to 
your  mother,  to  buy  a  new  cap  as  a  gift  from  her  son." 

"  Well,  that  is  a  good  thought." 

He  was  off  like  an  arrow,  and  arrived  at  the 
Rectory  shortly  afterwards,  in  great  glee,  to  receive 
his  treasures ;  and  especially  appreciated  a  steel-pen 
with  a  brilHant  blue  pen-holder. 

On  the  next  Sunday  evening,  I  asked  him  if  he 
had  received  an  answer.  He  said,  "  No  j  and  so  I  '11 
never  write  again  as  long  as  I  live." 

"  Oh,  Joseph,  think  better  of  it,  and  write  again ; 
if  you  have  taken  nine  years  to  write  your  letter,  you 
may  allow  your  mother  more  than  three  days  for 
answering  it." 

After  the  next  cottage-reading,  he  said,  "  Well,  I 
wrote  again,  and  have  got  no  answer.  Mother  has 
thrown  me  over  anyhow ;  so  I  '11  never  write  no 
more,  to  the  end  of  my  days." 

"  But  your  mother  may  be  ill — too  ill  to  write. 
What  do  you  think  of  writing  to  your  sister  to 
inquire  about  her?" 

"  Mother  ill !  Ah  1  to  be  sure.  I  never  thought 
of  that,  poor  dear  old  soul !  Well,  I  '11  try  it  once 
again,  and  see  what  it  '11  fetch," 


THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP.  119 

On  the  next  Sunday  evening  Joseph  was  early  at 
the  cottage,  and  before  the  rest  had  assembled  he 
handed  an  open  letter  to  me.  ^'  There  now,  please 
read  that,  ma'am,  and  tell  me  what  you  think  of 
mother.     She  was  ill,  bless  her!" 

The  letter  was  so  beautiful,  that  I  read  it,  with 
Joseph's  proud  permission,  to  the  little  assembly,  at 
the  close  of  our  Scripture  reading ;  and  the  hearts  of 
other  sons  responded  to  that  Christian  mother's 
tender  and  solemn  appeal.  It  had  so  happened,  in 
the  awful  providence  of  God,  that  the  drunkard  who 
had  first  led  Joseph,  when  a  boy  of  sixteen,  to  a 
public-house,  had  left  a  beer-shop  in  a  state  of  in- 
toxication, and  had  fallen  into  a  reservoir,  and  was 
dro^vned.  This  took  place  the  same  day  that  Joseph's 
letter  had  caused  his  mother  to  say,  in  the  gladness 
of  her  heart,  "  This  my  son  was  dead,  and  is  alive 
again ;  he  was  lost,  and  is  found." 

On  returning  the  letter,  I  asked  Joseph  to  copy 
it  for  me.  Accordingly,  the  next  evening  a  copy, 
beautifully  written  on  thick,  gilt-edged  paper,  was 
left  at  the  Eectory. 

The  fate  of  his  first  tempter  had  a  great  effect 
upon  his  mind;  and  he  became  extremely  steady 
from  that  time,  and  diligent  in  his  attendance  at 
church  and  at  the  lectures.  Two  months  afterwards 
he  left  Beckenham  to  work  in  London.  The  day 
after  the  opening  of  the  Crystal  Palace  he  called  to 


120  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP. 

see  me.  A  pleasant  smile  flashed  across  his  dark 
face  at  first  meeting;  but  then  he  sat  down  and 
cried. 

"  Nothing  has  happened  to  your  dear,  excellent  old 
mother,  I  hope,  Joseph?" 

"  Well,  that 's  it — about  the  worst  thing  that 
could.  I've  gone  and  enlisted  in  the  India  Com- 
pany's service,  and  mother's  heart  will  break.  And 
I  sha'n't  be  in  England  to  close  her  dear  eyes ;  no, 
nor  to  go  to  any  more  of  the  readings  after  to-night's 
last  one." 

"  Oh,  Joseph,  what  made  you  do  it?" 

"  Why,  a  new  mate  of  mine  (ah,  if  Sammy  had 
been  with  me,  he'd  have  had  sense)  says  to  me,  ^  Mate, 
would  you  like  to  see  foreign  countries  ?  We  could 
do  it  for  nothing  in  the  India  Company's  service. 
Let 's  go  and  enlist ! '  So  says  I,  ^  With  all  my  heart ! ' 
and  off  we  went." 

"  Well,  Joseph,  if  I  had  been  by,  I  should  have 
said,  ^  Think  it  over  first,  and  count  the  cost.'  But 
there  is  no  help  for  it  now ;  so  cheer  up,  and  go  to 
your  new  duties  with  a  hearty  good  will.  God  can 
bless  you  as  a  soldier  as  well  as  He  has  blessed  you 
as  a  workman,  if  you  do  your  duty  as  unto  Him. 
What  if  God  the  Holy  Spirit  should  make  you, 
amongst  your  brother-soldiers,  something  like  Cap- 
tain Yicars  is  in  his  regiment — a  light  to  shew  others 
the  way  to  heaven." 


THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP.  121 

This  thought  greatly  cheered  him.  A  short  time 
afterwards,  the  following  letters  expressed  the  warm 
feelings  of  his  grateful  heart : — 

"  Warley  Barracks,  June  19,  1854. 

^'  Dear  Feiend, — I  received  your  kind  letter  and 
presents,  and  I  thank  you  kindly  for  them  j  and  may 
the  Lord  reward  you  kindly  for  the  trouble  you  have 
taken  on  my  behalf  since  I  first  saw  you  at  Becken- 
ham.  And  oh,  ma'am,  I  have  a  very  kind  letter 
from  your  aged,  honoured  father,  and  he  gave  me  a 
good  advice ;  and  oh !  may  the  Lord  bless  him  and 
you,  both,  and  if  I  should  not  see  you  to  thank  you 
in  this  world,  may  I  meet  you  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  when  He  shall  summon  all  nations  to  His  bar. 
And  I  should  like  not  to  go  to  India  till  you  come 
back  to  Beckenham.  Oh,  ma'am !  I  should  like  to 
come  to  Beckenham  once  more  before  I  go,  for  it  is 
as  dear  to  me  as  my  native  place ;  and  I  should  like 
to  be  at  one  of  your  lectures  once  more  before  I  go, 
for  very  likely  I  shall  not  meet  with  such  a  friend  as 
I  did  when  I  saw  you. 

"  And  there  are  two  or  three  young  men  there  that 
I  should  like  to  warn  against  that  evil  of  drinking. 
Oh,  ma'am,  I  can  see  the  evil  of  it,  and  that  makes 
me  in  earnest  about  others;  but  if  I  should  not  see 
them  I  will  write  a  few  lines,  so  that  you  may  say  it 
came  from  my  own  lips.     My  dear  mother  is  sore 


122  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP. 

troubled  about  mj  going,  and  so  is  my  sister ;  but  I 
tell  them  that  God  will  be  my  guide  through  life, 
and  safely  bring  me  to  glory  if  I  put  my  trust  in 
Him  ;  and  I  shall  be  as  safe  in  the  field  of  battle  as 
I  am  in  England.  I  shall  write  to  you  again  in  a 
few  days,  for  I  shall  never  forget  your  kindness  as 
long  as  I  live,  for  you  are  as  dear  to  me  as  my  own 
mother  for  the  instructions  and  advice  you  have  given 
me.  Oh,  remember  me  in  your  prayers,  for  they  are 
worth  more  than  thousands  of  gold  and  silver.  So  I 
remain  your  most  humble  servant, 

"Joseph  W ." 

"  "Warley  Barracks,  July  3,  1854. 

"Deae  Christian  Friend, — I  now  take  the  liberty 
of  writing  a  few  lines  to  you,  hoping  that  you  will 
not  be  offended  with  me  for  taking  so  much  liberty, 
for  I  know  that  I  am  troubling  you  very  much ;  but 
I  shall  value  your  letters  as  if  they  were  gold.  And 
if  I  should  never  see  you  again  before  I  go,  I  shall 
take  them  with  me ;  and  if  God  should  spare  my  life 
to  return,  and  if  you  are  living,  you  shall  see  them 
again,  for  I  will  never  part  with  them  as  long  as  I 
live,  for  they  will  pass  many  a  dull  hour  away.  And 
I  must  inform  yoa  that  I  have  had  a  letter  from  my 
dear,  good,  kind  mother,  and  she  is  nearly  broken- 
hearted about  me,  for  there  are  some  family  affairs  to 
be  settled  next  October,  and  they  cannot  be  settled 


THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP.  123 

unless  I  am  present.  Without  my  being  present  it 
will  be  a  great  disadvantage  both  to  her  and  myself; 
and  she  wishes  me  to  ask  you  if  you  would  write  a 
few  lines  to  the  Colonel  to  ask  him  if  he  would  allow 
me  to  stop  at  the  depot  till  October,  so  that  I  might 
have  an  opportunity  of  going  to  see  her  and  settle 
this  affair.  You  may  tell  him  that  I  have  no  wish 
to  be  bought  off,  or  to  be  discharged ;  and  if  he  will 
grant  my  mother  that  request  I  will  endeavour  to 
obey  all  orders  in  a  soldier-like  manner  as  long  as  I 
remain  in  the  service.  This  would  be  doing  both 
my  mother  and  myself  a  great  kindness,  if  it  would 
not  be  troubling  you  too  much.  And  oh,  ma'am, 
may  God  reward  you  for  the  kindness  that  you  have 
done  for  me,  for  it  will  never  be  in  my  power  to  repay 
your  kindness;  but  there  is  one  thing  I  can  do,  I 
can  remember  you  in  my  prayers,  for  I  shall  never 
forget  your  instructions  as  long  as  I  live ;  for  if  you 
had  been  my  own  mother  you  could  not  have  been 
in  more  earnest  about  my  never-dying  soul  than  you 
have  been  since  I  first  saw  you  at  Beckenham.  And 
if  I  should  never  see  you  again,  may  the  Lord  bless 
you  and  reward  you  for  all  your  trouble;  and  may 
your  prayers  be  answered,  and  may  I  meet  you  in 
heaven.  Oh,  ma'am,  if  there  is  as  much  wickedness 
carried  on  in  India  as  there  is  here,  I  shall  go  out  of 
my  mind,  for  I  thought  before  I  enlisted  that  I  should 
not  liave  so  much  temptation  here,  but  I  find  that  I 


124  THE  BIBLE  IX  THE  CAMP. 

have  ten  times  as  mucli.  Oh,  ma'am,  it  is  a  blessed 
thing  that  I  came  to  Beckenham,  or  else,  I  think,  I 
should  have  been  lost  for  ever.  Oh,  how  thankful 
ought  I  to  be  to  the  Lord  for  not  cutting  me  down 
in  the  midst  of  my  wickedness,  for  great  would  have 
been  my  condemnation,  after  the  advice  that  I  have 
had  from  time  to  time.  And  there  is  one  thing  I  want 
to  ask  of  you,  that  is,  to  remember  me  in  your 
prayers,  that  the  Lord  may  give  me  strength  against 
all  temptations,  and  fill  me  with  His  holy  Spirit,  and 
give  me  the  power  of  winning  many  souls  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ;  for  the  Scripture  says  that  one 
man's  soul  is  worth  more  than  the  whole  world.  Oh, 
ma'am,  if  every  one  that  knew  the  love  of  God  in  his 
own  heart  were  to  endeavour  to  gain  one  soul,  what 
a  happy  change  we  should  see  in  a  short  time.  And 
may  God  grant  that  the  time  may  soon  come  when 
we  shall  see  it  so. 

"  I  must  conclude,  hoping  that,  if  I  never  see  you 
in  this  world  to  thank  you  for  your  kindness,  I  shall 
meet  you  in  glory;  so  I  remain  your  most  humble 
servant,  trusting  in  God  for  all  help  through  this 
life  for  ever, 

"Joseph  W ." 

*'  Warley  Barracks,  August  4,  1854. 

«  Kind  Friend, — I  received  your  letter  this  day, 
and  was  very  glad  to  hear  from  you ;  but  I  am  very 


THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP.  125 

Sony  that  I  did  not  answer  your  letter  that  you  sent 
before  with  the  one  enclosed  that  you  received  from 

Colonel ,  but  I  wrote  a  letter  home  to  my  mother 

and  sister,  and  I  was  waiting  to  get  an  answer  from 
them,  so  that  I  might  be  able  to  tell  you  what  she 
said,  but  I  have  not  had  one  yet ;  but  I  can  answer 
for  her  and  myself,  and  I  thank  you  kindly  for  your 
kindness,  and  may  God  bless  you  for  the  trouble 
that  you  have  taken  in  my  wxlfare. 

"  This  is  the  day  that  I  should  have  had  to  embark 
for  India.  There  are  just  about  three  hundred  gone 
to-day  to  a  distant  land,  perhaps  never  to  return 
again ;  and  I  fear  many  of  them  are  gone  in  a  dread- 
ful state  of  wickedness,  and  that  death  may  overtake 
many  of  them  before  they  repent  of  their  sins.  Oh, 
ma'am,  what  an  awful  thing  it  will  be  if,  after  living 
in  this  Christian  country,  they  should  be  lost  for 
ever.  Oh,  ma'am,  God  forbid  that  it  should  be  my 
lot,  after  having  the  instructions  and  the  good 
examples  that  I  have  had  shewn  me. 

"  And,  ma'am,  I  was  very  much  pleased  Tvith  what 
you  said  in  your  letter  about  Captain  Vicars  going 
into  the  cave  to  read  his  Bible,  for  I  am  just  the 
same  myself;  I  often  take  my  Bible  and  go  into  the 
woods  where  I  can  open  my  heart  to  the  I^ord,  and 
tell  Him  my  wants  without  being  molested  by  any 
one.  Oh,  ma'am,  I  shall  never  forget  Beckenham, 
for  it  was  there  where  I  first  felt  the  love  of  God  shed 


126  THE  BIBLE  IN  IHE  CAMP. 

abroad  in  my  heart ;  and,  oh,  may  it  never  part  from 
me  again.  Although  at  times  I  do  not  feel  so  much 
of  the  love  of  God  as  I  would  wish,  still  I  will 
never  give  over  praying  till  I  get  a  blessing,  for  I 
often  think  of  a  little  hymn  that  I  learned  when  a 
Sunday-school  scholar,  where  it  says: — 

*  'Tis  religion  that  can  give 
Sweetest  pleasures  while  we  live  ; 
'Tis  religion  must  supply 
Happy  comforts  when  we  die.' 

"  I  think,  ma'am,  now  that  I  am  going  to  stay  till 
October,  that  I  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
you  before  I  go  away,  perhaps  never  to  see  your  face 
again  in  this  world ;  but  if  I  should  not,  may  I  meet 
you  in  heaven  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  where  those 
that  love  the  Lord  will  never  part  again  for  ever,  but 
live  in  glory  with  the  angels  of  God.  So  I  remain 
your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Joseph  W ." 

"  "WAttLEY  Barracks,  January  2,  1855. 
"  Kind  Friend, — I  received  your  letter  this  morn- 
ing, and  I  was  very  glad  to  hear  from  you,  for  it  is  quite 
a  pleasure  to  me  to  read  your  letters,  for  it  often  gives 
ease  to  my  troubled  mind.  When  alone,  I  fr^equently 
get  and  read  all  of  them ;  for  they  speak  so  much  of 
that  dear  Saviour,  who  took  upon  Himself  the  sin  of 
mankind,  when  nothing  but  the  death  of  the  Cross 
could  make  atonement  for  the  whole  world.     Oh, 


THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP.  127 

ma'am,  I  often  think  what  encouragement  this  is  for 
mankind  to  give  their  whole  hearts  to  the  Lord ;  for 
sm*ely  He  who  died  for  the  sin  of  man  will  not  be 
against  him  if  he  call  on  Him  while  He  may  be  found. 
But  delays  are  dangerous;  for  He  has  said  in  His 
lioly  Word,  that  His  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive 
with  man.  But  may  the  Lord  give  me  grace  and 
faith  sufficient  for  my  day,  that- 1  may  go  on  conti- 
nually seeking  Him.  And,  oh,  may  I  not  be  satis- 
fied by  the  saving  of  my  own  soul,  but  may  I  be  in 
earnest  about  the  souls  of  others ;  and  may  I  be  the 
means  of  bringing  many  to  seek  that  Saviour,  who 
had  compassion  on  me  when  I  was  on  the  very  brink 
of  hell.  And  how  very  thankful  I  ought  to  be  to 
Providence,  who  guided  my  feet  to  Beckenham ;  for 
if  I  had  not  met  with  you,  and  went  to  your  lectures, 
I  believe  I  should  have  been  lost  for  ever.  But 
thanks  be  to  Him  who  died  for  my  sins,  that  I  am 
still  where  hope  and  mercy  may  be  found.  The 
Scriptures  tell  us  that  ^  God  is  not  a  man  that  he 
should  lie,  nor  the  son  of  man  that  he  should  repent;' 
then  how  can  He  refuse  us  that  everlasting  happiness 
which  He  has  promised  to  all  who  call  upon  Him? 
And  oh!  may  that  day  soon  come,  when  we  need 
not  say  to  each  other,  ^  Know  the  Lord,  but  all  shall 
know  Him,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest.' 

"  If  I  should  never  see  you  again  in  this  world, 
may  I  meet  you  in  glory,  where  you  may  see  the 


128  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP. 

fruit  of  jour  labours,  and  the  answers  to  your  prayers, 
kind  madam. 

"  So  I  remain  your  most  humble  servant,  trusting 
in  God  for  all  help  through  this  life, 

"Joseph  W ." 

Joseph  W remained   in   England   until  the 

autumn  of  1856.  His  conduct  in  the  regiment  was 
excellent;  and  before  the  close  of  his  first  year  of 
service  he  rose  to  be  a  sergeant.  Shortly  afterwards, 
he  became  desirous  of  entering  the  company  of  Sap- 
pers and  Miners,  and  passed  the  necessary  examina- 
tion with  credit. 

Twice,  by  the  leave  which  was  kindly  accorded  by 
his  colonel,  he  was  enabled  to  spend  some  days  with 
his  excellent  m.other,  and  married,  with  her  blessing, 
an  amiable  and  pious  young  woman,  who  sailed  with 
him  for  India  shortly  after  their  wedding  had  taken 
place.  He  brought  her  to  Beckenham,  on  his  fare- 
well visit.  Both  seemed  desirous  of  "  following  the 
Lord  fully." 

Samuel   Bush  left  Beckenham  at  the  same  time 

with  Joseph  W ,  to  share  his  fortunes  as  usual. 

But,  failing  to  find  work  under  the  same  master,  he 
left  his  mate,  with  the  full  intention  of  joining 
company  with  him  again,  when  Joseph's  temporary 
employment  should  have  ceased.  But,  impressed 
with  the  idea  that  he  could  never  become  a  steadily 


THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP.  12# 

religious  character,  unless  assisted  by  the  advice  and 
example  of  such  a  man  as  Captain  Vicars,  he  enlisted 
in  a  draft  for  the  77th  Eegiment,  in  the  hope  of  being 
sent  to  the  seat  of  war,  and  of  finding  that  regiment, 
as  he  expressed  it,  "  alongside  of  the  97th ! " 

He  came  to  Beckenham,  in  the  summer,  to  bid  us 
good-bye,  and  to  fetch  his  books.  I  was  absent  from 
home,  but  I  heard  that  he  had  said  "  his  Bible  and 
he  should  never  part  company  again."  It  was  under 
his  pillow  when  he  died. 

The  next  time  I  heard  of  his  welfare  was  through 
a  letter  of  his  own,  written  in  the  autumn  of  the  same 
year,  by  the  hand  of  a  Roman  Catholic  soldier  in  the 
same  regiment,  to  whom  Samuel  Bush's  Bible,  and 
the  brief  words  of  the  prayer  written  on  its  fly-leaf, 
brought  the  message  of  pardon  and  peace  through 
the  blood  of  the  cross. 

"  Isle  of  Wight,  September  25,  1854. 

"  My  Dear  Madam, — You  will  no  doubt  feel  sur- 
prised when  you  find  who  sends  you  this,  and  that  I 
am  now  a  soldier.  But  though  I  am  removed  thus  far 
from  you,  I  now  feel  the  full  extent  of  my  obligrtions 
to  you.  Yes,  madam,  you  were  the  first  to  teach  me 
that  which  now  I  feel  is  better  by  far  than  any 
worldly  things.  Indeed,  words  cannot  convey  the 
gratitude  I  would  express  to  you  for  teaching  me  a 
knowledge  of  Jesus.     I  feel  quite  happy,  as  I  have 

I 


130  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP* 

hope  in  the  mercies  and  all-atoning  blood  of  a 
Saviour. 

"  I  have  time  in  my  present  calling  to  read  the 
Testament  Avhich  yom-  goodness  supplied  me  with ; 
and  I  find  in  it,  that  if  the  sinner  turn  from  his  evil 
ways,  He  will  not  cast  him  out ;  and  mine,  you  know, 
madam,  has  been  one  continued  series  of  wickedness 
till  I  came  to  Beckenham.  I  attend  church  every  Sun- 
day to  hear  the  Word  of  God  ;  and  I  am  getting  better 
at  school,  for  I  can  now  read  my  Bible  pretty  well. 

"And  now  I  have  no  more  to  say,  but  to  ask 
your  prayers. 

"  Jdy  much  respected  friend,  accept  the  feebie 
thanks  of  my  repentant,  grateful  heart,  and  join  with 
me  in  extolling  the  mercies  of  my  God,  in  whose 
hands  you  were  an  instrument  of  snatching  me  from 
the  brhik  of  that  bottomless  pit,  over  which  T  was 
hanging.  Was  it  not  for  this,  I  might  still  be 
wallowing  in  the  mire  of  my  iniquity,  or,  having 
incensed  my  merciful  Saviour,  be  buried  in  Hell. 

"  Believe  me  to  be,  yours  in  gratitude  and  sin- 
cerity, Samuel  Bush." 

"  Direct  to  Samuel  Bush,  private,  77th  Depot, 
I  Co.,  No.  69,  Parkhm^st  Barracks,  Isle  of  Wight." 

"iV.5. — I  sent  you  a  letter  long  since,  but  the 
directions  were  wrong,  and  it  came  back  again." 


THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP.  131 

"  Octoler  25, 1854. 

"  My  Dear  Madam, — I  feel  very  thankful  for  your 
kind  gifts.  I  continually  read,  or  repeat,  some  of 
one  of  your  little  prayers.  I  find  great  comfort  in 
repeating  them.  Oh  !  what  pleasure  do  they  not 
find  who  seek  the  Lord !  Hitherto  I  sought  to  satisfy 
my  thirst  with  muddy  water,  and  my  hunger  with 
husks,  like  swine ;  but  I  hear  those  consoling  words, 
^  Come  to  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'  Oh  I  that  I  had 
sooner  known  faith  in  His  blood.  Oh!  why  do  so 
many  drink  of  those  muddy  waters,  which  will  not, 
nor  cannot  satisfy  them.  Is  there  no  balm  in  Gilead, 
or  is  there  no  physician  there  ?  Is  there  no  compas- 
sion in  the  heart  which  is  tenderness  itself?  Why 
do  not  all  fly  to  the  atoning  blood  of  Him,  who  said, 
^  If  you  ask  the  Father  anything  in  my  name,  He 
will  give  it  you.' 

''  I  got  a  letter  from  our  friend  Joseph  W ,  and 

have  good  reason  to  hope  in  the  Lord  that  He  has 
opened  the  treasures  of  His  grace  to  him.  I  expect 
to  go  out  in  a  draft  soon,  but  your  letters  will  follow 
me.  I  am  not  in  the  India  service,  but  in  the  77th 
regiment  of  infantry.  It  is  to  the  present  seat  of  war 
I  am  to  go ;  but  my  Jesus  will  be  with  me.  In 
the  army  it  is  very  difficult  to  find  a  Christian  friend; 
but  yet  I  have  a  Christian  friend,  though  a  sinful 
one.    He  who  writes  this,  and  my  other  letters,  claims 


132  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP. 

that  title,  not  throtigli  his  own  meritS;  but  through 
the  conquering  blood  of  his  Divine  Master,  and  who 
now  begs  leave  to  recommend  himself  to  you,  and 
your  friends'  prayers.  If  it  would  not  be  too  much 
trouble,  me  and  my  friend  would  wish  to  receive 
more  of  these  soldiers'  prayers  at  your  hands,  humbly 
hoping  that  our  use  of  them  will  correspond  with  your 
wishes. 

"  And  now,  my  dear  madam,  I  conclude  with 
grateful  prayers  that  God,  in  whom  you  trust,  will 
bless  you  in  this  life  j  and  when  you  leave  this  earth, 
may  He  take  you  to  the  place  where  no  care,  nor  sor- 
row can  appear — where  the  sorrowful  shall  cease 
mourning,  and  the  weary  shall  be  at  rest.     I  remain, 

"  S.  Bush." 

"  Pakkhukst  Barracks,  October  30, 1854. 

"  My  Dear  Madam, — We  would  be  very  happy 
in  getting  some  tracts,  they  would  be  of  much  use ; 
and  any  other  prayers  that  you  have,  please  send 
them  to  us.  Nearly  all  have  got  Bibles  now.  We 
strive  to  disperse  the  tracts,  and  we  often  borrow 
from  others.     The  schoolmaster  lends  all  his  books 

to  L ,  and  we  read  them  together.     He  is  just 

reading  to  me  part  of  the  ^  Anxious  Inquirer,'  by 
John  Angell  James. 

"  My  dear  madam,  you  pray  that  we  may  meet 
with  Jesus.     Of  that  I  have  a  good  hope,  through 


THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP.  133 

His  grace;  for,  though  I  never  deserved  to  rejoice 
with  Him,  yet  it  is  not  through  my  own  works  that 
I  hope  to  earn  heaven,  but  through  the  merits  of  His 
blood;  and  those  who  come  to  Him  He  will  in 
nowise  cast  out.  Oh,  yes !  there  is  in  His  Word 
that  which  makes  me  happy. 

"  And  now,  my  dear  friend  in  Jesus,  pray  for  me. 

"  There  is  a  hundred  men  going  to  Russia  one  of 
these  days ;  but  me  nor  my  friend  are  not  going  yet. 

"  My  love,  through  Jesus,  to  you ;  through  Him 

henceforth  all  my  wishes  be  conveyed ;  and  in  Him 

rest  all  my  cares,  even  the  important  affair  of  my 

salvation. 

'  Though  heaven  and  earth  may  pass  away, 
And  sinners  tremble  for  that  day ; 
Yet  I  '11  secure  and  happy  be. 
For  Jesus'  blood  was  shed  for  me* 

"  Your  humble  friend,  S.  BuSH." 


He  continued  to  correspond  with  me  occasionally 
from  that  time.  Early  in  the  month  of  January 
1855  he  landed  in  the  Crimea,  where  the  wish  of  his 
heart  was  gratified.  The  77th  was  *^  alongside  the 
97th,"  and  he  and  his  friend  had  unrestricted  leave  to 
visit  Captain  Vicars  for  his  advice,  and  for  the  read- 
ing of  the  Word  of  God,  and  prayer,  until  the  22d 
of  March,  when  Hedley  Vicars  ended  his  brief,  but 
bright  career  of  love  towards  God  and  man,  and  of 


134  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP. 

heroic  discharge  of  his  duty  as  a  soldier,  on  the 
ground  before  Sebastopol. 

In  the  month  of  June,  Samuel  Bush  was  visited 
by  Mr  Duncan  Matheson,  whose  apostolic  self- 
denial  and  exertion,  as  a  soldier's  missionary  in  the 
Crimea,  enabled  him  to  sow  the  seed  of  eternal  life 
broadcast,  in  faith  of  seeing  the  harvest  in  heaven. 

He  passed  through  a  crowd  of  men,  most  of  whom 
were  cursing  and  swearing.  In  the  midst  sat  a 
young  man,  who  had  just  come  back  from  night 
service  in  the  trenches,  refreshing  himself  by  reading 
his  Bible.  There  he  sat,  on  the  roots  of  a  tree 
which  had  been  cut  down,  reading  almost  as  peace- 
fully as  if  he  had  been  in  heaven.  The  peace  of 
God,  which  passeth  all  understanding,  was  keeping 
his  heart  and  mind  through  Christ  Jesus. 

Mr  Matheson  sat  down  by  his  side,  and  the  two 
held  communion  together  with  Him  whom  their 
souls  loved. 

"What  do  you  think  of  Samuel  Bush?"  asked 
Mr  Matheson,  as  he  made  his  way  back  through  the 
crowd  an  hour  afterwards. 

"  He  is  a  solid  Christian,  and  a  good  soldier,"  was 
the  answer. 

In  the  following  September  he  received  his  mortal 
^ound,  and  died  three  or  four  weeks  afterwards. 

Meeting  some  wounded  soldiers,  about  two  months 
kter  in  that  year,  who  had  the  number  "  77th  "  on 


English  Hearts. 


p.  134 


THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP.  135 

their  caps,  I  asked  if  they  knew  Samuel  Bush  of  their 
regiment,  and  how,  and  where  he  was. 

"  He  died  of  his  wounds  some  weeks  ago,"  was 
the  repl  J. 

"  Was  he  happy  when  he  was  dying?" 

"  Happy !  "  said  one  man,  starting  forward,  "  if 
ever  a  man  died  happy,  he  did.  There  was  a  little 
Bible  he  read  till  his  eyes  were  dim,  and  then  kept 
it  under  his  pillow  till  he  died.  He  was  a  happy 
man,  living  and  dying." 

The  manner  of  his  death,  and  of  his  entrance  into 
Life,  was  written  to  his  aged  parents ;  and  the  follow- 
ing letter  was  received  in  reply : — 

'*  February  10, 1S56. 

"  Madam, — I  have  taken  my  pen  in  hand  to  write 
these  few  lines  to  you,  hoping  to  find  you  in  good 
health,  as  they  leave  us  at  present,  bless  God  for  it, 
but  not  very  well  in  spirits ;  but  we  are  happy,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  to  hear  that  my  «5on  Samuel  died 
with  the  grace  of  God  in  his  heart,  and  hope,  by 
what  you  say,  he  has  gone  to  rest,  and  is  far  better 
off  than  we  that  he  has  left  behind;  but  we  hope 
to  meet  him  in  heaven. 

"  And  I  must  say,  that  I  feel  very  much  obliged 
to  you  for  all  your  favours  towards  my  son  Samuel 
Bush ;  and  as  it  does  not  lay  in  my  power  to  repay 
you  again,  I  hope  there  is  One  above  that  will  repay 


136  THE  BIBLE  IN  THE  CAMP. 

you  for  all.     Now  I  must  conclude,  with  our  best 
respects  to  you, 

"  Mark  and  Mary  Bush. 

**  SOREMBr. 

"And  on  the  other  side  I  have  sent  you  a  few 
lines  that   he   sent  in  his  last  letter  that  he  wrote 


me 


'  I  was  a  wandering  sheep, 
I  did  not  love  the  fold ; 
1  did  not  love  my  Shepherd's  voice — 
I  would  not  be  controU'd. 

*  I  was  a  wayward  child, 

1  did  not  love  my  home  j 
I  did  not  love  my  Father's  voice— 
I  loved  afar  to  roam. 

'  I  was  a  wandering  sheep, 
I  would  not  be  controU'd ; 
But  now  I  love  my  Shepherd's  voice— 
I  luve,  I  love  His  fold. 

*  I  was  a  wayward  child, 

I  once  preferr'd  to  roam  ; 
But  now  I  love  my  Father's  voice — 
1  love,  I  love  His  home.'" 


"  And  when  he  hath  found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders,  rejoicing. 
And  when  he  cometh  home,  he  calleth  his  friends  and  neighbours, 
saying  unto  them.  Rejoice  with  me ;  for  I  have  found  va^  sheep  which 
was  lost." 


CHAPTER   X 


*  There  is  a  path  that  leads  to  (Jod, 
All  others  go  astray ; 
Narrow,  but  pleasant,  is  the  road, 
And  Christians  love  the  way. 

•*  It  leads  straight  through  this  world  of  i 
And  dangers  must  be  past; 
£at  those  who  boldly  walk  therein. 
Will  come  to  heaven  ac  last** 


The  last  of  the  three  Crystal  Palace  workmen  who 
enlisted  in  regiments  recruiting  for  service  in  the 
Crimea,  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  being  within  reach  of 
Captain  Vicars,  was    a   young   Scotchman,   named 

James  K ,  the  son  of  pious  parents,  whom  he 

had  not  seen  for  several  years.  When  I  saw  him 
first,  early  in  the  year  1854,  he  was  standing  at  the 
door  of  his  lodgings  one  Bunday  morning  in  his 
working  clothes.  On  my  requesting  him  to  come  to 
church,  he  replied,  "I  do  not  like  the  churches  in 
this  country.  I  cannot  accommodate  myself  to  your 
bits  of  prayers." 

^'  I  can  quite  understand  your  preference  for  the 
Church  of  your  fathers.  But  when  I  am  in  Scotland 
I  can  be  thankful  to  God  for  the  privilege  of  attend- 
ing your  Church,  in  which  I  have  found  much  profit 
and  blessing  to  my  soul,  though  I  love  the  manner 
of  my  own  Church  the  most  dearly." 

"I  think  that's  sensible,"  he  said;  "and  perhaps 
I  would  go  up  if  I  knew  where  to  sit.  But  it's  all 
strange  to  me,  you  see." 


140  THE  ARMOUR  OF  LIGHT. 

I  promised  to  call  for  him  in  good  time,  and  to 
shew  him  a  seat  in  the  church.  From  that  day  for- 
ward he  became  a  regular  attendant  at  the  house  of 
God,  and  availed  himself  of  all  the  opportunities  for 
instruction  5  and  he  dated  from  that  time  the  com- 
mencement of  the  change  which  soon  became  apparent 
to  all  who  knew  him.  There  was  a  peculiar  thought- 
fulness  and  manly  simplicity  about  liim  which  in- 
terested me  from  the  first  time  I  saw  him ;  and  his 
progress  in  the  new  path  was  even  and  steady. 

In  the  course  of  the  next  winter  he  enlisted  in  the 
Coldstream  Guards,  and  wrote  to  announce  it  thus : — 

"  Kind  Lady, — I  am  a  soldier  5  and  I  have  enlisted 
for  the  hope  of  doing  my  duty  to  my  Queen  and 
country,  and  especially  of  being  near  that  blessed 
man  of  God,  and  good  soldier  and  officer.  Captain 
Vicars,  whom  I  hope  to  be  setit  out  near  to  pretty 
soon,  and  to  gain  the  profit  of  his  advice,  and  his 
prayers  and  example." 

My  answer  to  this  communication  missed  him ;  and 
it  was  sometime  before  he  wrote  again.  To  the 
letter  which  at  last  reached  him  from  Beckenham  he 
thus  alludes : — 

"  PoRTMAN  Street  Barracks,  January  7, 1855. 

"Dear  Lady, — I  received  your  kind  letter  this 
morning,  just  before  Divine  service.     I  am  happy  to 


THE  ARMOUR  OF  LIGHT.  141 

think  that  our  dear  friend  Captain  Yicars  is  so  well, 
and  has  gone  through  so  many  hardships  and  dan- 
gers ;  but  he  bears  it  bravely  ;  but  Jesus  shields  His 
people  from  all  dangers ;  for  if  they  should  fall  on 
earth,  they  rise  in  heaven — so  that  death  to  one  of 
Christ's  soldiers  is  just  to  raise  him  into  glory ;  for 
the  Lord  is  our  shepherd,  He  will  not  let  the  sheep 
of  His  hand  fail.  I  read  Captain  Vicars'  letter  over 
to  my  comrades.  They  were  all  happy  to  hear  it, 
as  it  was  from  the  seat  of  war.  And  we  can  do  no 
more  for  him  but  pray  that  it  may  please  Jesus  to 
guide  him  through  this  war,  and  bring  him  home  to 
his  native  land  and  friends.  I  had  not  much  oppor- 
tunity of  prayer ;  but  I  had  a  few  words  by  myself, 
like  the  sailor  boy,  alone  in  the  croAvn  of  my  cap.  I 
have  not  time  for  more,  for  I  have  to  get  ready  for 
the  Bank  picquet.  The  drum  calls  me  to  my  arms. 
No  more  at  present,  but  good-bye ;  and  God  bless 
you,  kind  lady,  James  K , 

"  Coldstream  Guards." 
"PoRTMAN  Street  Barracks,  January  4, 1855. 

"Kind  Lady, — I  received  your  kind  letter  on 
Monday  night  when  I  was  on  the  Queen's  guard,  just 
as  I  was  going  on  sentry,  so  I  could  not  stop  to  read 
it  till  I  came  off  sentry.  I  never  spent  two  hours  so 
unhappy  all  my  life  till  I  came  off  sentry,  and  then  I 
read  it ;  and  I  got  your  kind  present  that  you  sent 


142  THE  ARMOUR  OF  LIGHT. 

me  yesterday.  I  cannot  return  your  kindness,  but 
by  offering  up  a  prayer  to  Jesus-  for  you.  I  have 
read  it  over  and  over  again,  and  those  little  books 
that  I  got  from  you  when  I  was  at  Bcckenham.  I 
take  great  delight  in  reading  them.  When  I  am 
off  duty,   and   sitting   reading   them,  some   of  my 

comrades  will  say  to  me,  '  Come  man  K ,  into 

the  canteen  and  have  a  pint ;  you  will  be  so  religious 
that  you  can't  do  nothing.'  I  make  no  return,  but 
call  on  Jesus  to  give  me  strength  to  stand  against 
these  temptations.  When  I  call  on  God  he  never 
forsakes  me.  That  little  prayer  that  you  gave  me,  I 
have  it  always  in  my  mind.  When  I  am  on  guard 
I  always  have  one  of  your  little  books  with  me.  I 
have  a  good  many  temptations  to  bear;  but  the 
Lamb  of  God,  when  I  call  on  Him,  he  puts  a  double 
strength  in  me,  so  I  can  stand  them  all.  I  have  read 
that  copy  of  a  prayer  that  you  sent  me  in  your  letter, 
and  shewed  it  to  some  of  the  rest.  They  laughed  at 
it,  and  said  that  there  would  not  be  much  time  for 
reading  when  they  went  out  to  Russia ;  but  others 
said  that  it  would  just  be  a  go:d  thing  to  have,  and 
they  would  like  to  have  one  ;  for  the  thought .  f  going 
out  to  the  East,  it  gives  many  one  of  them  a  thought 
of  their  souls ;  and  they  will  come  to,  and  sav  to  me, 
^  Are  you  not  afraid  to  go  to  the  war  ? '  and  I  tell 
them  no ;  for  I  tell  them  that  Jesus  will  save  my 
soul  if  I  should  get  killed ;  and  He  will  in  no  wise 


THE  ARMOUR  OF  LIGHT.  143 

cast  them  out  if  they  will  but  call  on  Him  in  time. 
I  would  like  very  well,  if  you  please  to  send  me  the 
letter  that  came  from  Captain  Vicars.  No  more  at 
present ;  but  God  bless  you. 

"  James  K , 

"  Coldstream  Guards.** 
'•St  George's  Bakracks,  April &th. 

"  Dear  Lady, — "When  I  opened  the  paper  it  made 
the  tears  come  into  my  eyes,  for  to  hear  that  my 
beloved  friend  had  left  this  world.  He  is  gone  to 
sleep  in  Jesus.  I  wish  I  had  been  by  his  side,  and 
seen  him  fall  asleep.  But  I  know  that  he  is  in  greater 
glory  than  is  to  be  had  in  this  world.  When  last  I 
saw  him  in  Beckenham  amongest  ns,  little  did  I  think 
that  it  was  the  last.     But  he  fell  in  duty  and  glory. 

"  I  expect  we  shall  leave  for  the  East  in  a  day  or 
so.  We  are  all  at  a  minute's  notice.  I  have  all  the 
little  books  you  gave  me  packed  up  in  my  kit. 

"  I  was  always  living  in  the  hopes  of  seeing  that 
beloved,  respected  Captain,  and  honoured  brother  in 
the  Lord,  out  there,  when  I  got  a  chance  of  going  out 
to  him ;  now  I  am  disappointed,  but  I  will  put  no 
trust  in  princes  to  get  me  to  heaven,  but  I  look  on 
the  blood  of  Jesus  on  the  Cross.  I  will  trust  in  Him, 
and  He  will  never  forsake  me.     For  Jesus  says — 

'  All  ye  that  tliirst  approach  the  stream 
Where  living  waters  flow.' 


144  THE  ARMOUR  OF  LIGHT. 

"  Our  beloved  friend  is  drinking  of  those  living 
waters  now. 

^^  So  no  more  at  present  from  your  humble  and 
grateful  friend, 

"  James  K , 

"  Coldstream  Guards." 
"  St  George's  Barracks,  April  8, 1855. 

"  Dear  Lady, — I  take  the  boldness  of  writing 
these  few  lines,  to  let  you  know  that  I  leave  London 
to-raorrow  morning.  We  are  all  in  heavy  marching 
order  at  six  o'clock  to-morrow  morning.  I  put  my 
trust  in  Jesus,  and  He  will  lead  me  safe  through  all 
the  dangers  of  this  world ;  and  I  hope  that  I  shall 
meet  my  dear,  kind  friend  Captain  Vicars  in  heaven. 

*  And,  oh,  that  will  be  joyful, 
"When  we  meet  to  part  no  more.* 

"  I  have  not  much  time — we  are  all  getting  things 
ready  to  start  to-morrow  morning.  We  take  the 
train  at  Waterloo  Station  for  Portsmouth.  I  must 
bid  you  farewell ;  and  God  bless  you ;  and  pray 
for  us  when  we  are  on  the  field  of  battle.  Youi 
grateful,  humble  friend, 

"James  K ." 

Of  the  letters  received  from  him  whilst  he  was  in 
the  Crimea,  the  following,  perhaps,  best  expresses  his 
thoughts  and  feelings : — 


THE  ARMOUR  OF  1  IGHT.  145 

"  Camp  before  Sev  isxopoL,  August  6,  1855. 
"  Dear  Lady, — I  take  the  opportunity  of  writing 
to  you  to  let  you  know  that  I  am  in  good  health, 
and  thanks  be  to  God  for  the  same — who  is  the 
Giver  of  all  good.  I  would  have  answered  your  kind 
letter  before  this  time,  but  our  duty  has  been  so 
hard  that  I  have  not  had  time.  We  are  in  the 
trenches  almost  every  night,  and  I  am  for  them  to- 
night again ;  but  them  I  never  think  about.  Many 
a  one  says  that  they  don't  like  the  trenches,  for  they 
are  afraid  of  the  shot  and  shell  that  is  always  flying 
about  us;  but  them  I  don't  fear,  for  I  know  that 
Jesus'  right  hand  can  take  care  of  me  in  the  hour 
of  danger  as  well  there  as  if  I  was  in  my  tent.  So  I 
put  my  trust  in  Him.  I  fear  no  danger,  for  His 
right  hand  guides  my  way.  I  always  take  my  little 
friend  in  my  pocket,  that  is  my  little  Testament  that 
you  gave  me.  I  have  had  many  naiTOw  escapes  for 
my  life  in  these  trenches,  but  my  loving  Saviour 
guards  me  through  all  dangers  and  hardships ;  and 
I  must  say  our  regiment  has  been  the  most  fortunate 
in  the  trenches  of  any  I  know  of.  The  most  we  have 
had  wounded  in  one  night  yet  was  seven ;  one  lost 
his  leg  and  another  his  arm.  I  was  close  by  when 
the  shell  burst  that  took  them  both,  for  the  Eussians 
are  not  bad  marksmen.  They  murder  our  poor  com- 
rades the  French  most  terrible  with  shot  and  shell  ; 
but  they  stand  their  ground,  and  are  gaining  upon 

K 


146  THE  ARMOUR  OF  LIGHT. 

the  Kussians'  advanced  works,  as  we  are.  But  I 
must  draw  to  a  close,  as  it  is  getting  near  time  to  be 
ready  for  the  trenches  again.  I  have  seen  some  of 
the  men  of  our  dear  Captain  Vicars'  Regiment ;  and 
they  all  mourn  the  loss  of  him  very  much.  I  have 
read  to  nigh  all  my  comrades  that  little  book  about 
him ;  and  they  like  it. 

"  Give  my  love  to  James  W and  all  my  old 

mates  in  Beckenham ;  and  if  the  great  King  of  kings 
gives  me  health  and  strength,  I  hope  that  I  will  see 
them  all  again  at  that  place  where  I  learned  to  know 
and  love  my  Saviour ;  and  you  who  taught  me,  by 
His  grace. 

"  So  no  more,  dear  Lady,  but  remain, 

"  James  K ." 

The  prayer  of  faith  was  answered  ;  and  the  soldier 
returned  home  ^'in  health  and  strength,"  by  the 
good  providence  of  God. 


CHAPTEE    XL 

Mm  3mh  k  Mm. 


Hearts  are  not  steel,  and  steel  is  bent; 
Hearts  are  not  stone,  and  stone  is  reni." 


Scarcely  had  the  latest  lingerers  amongst  the  Crystal 
Palace  workmen  disappeared  from  Beckenham,  in  the 
spring  of  1855,  before  a  new  interest  had  sprung  up 
for  us  in  the  gathering  of  the  Army  Works  Corps. 

It  was  formed  by  the  suggestion,  and  under  the 
aiTangement  of  Sir  Joseph  Paxton  ;  for  whose  cour- 
teous and  cordial  readiness  to  afford  us  facilities  of 
intercourse  with  the  men,  as  for  that  of  every  gentle- 
man connected  with  the  service,  and  in  particular 
Mr  Milner,  the  chief  officer  at  the  Crystal  Palace  de- 
partment, we  shall  always  feel  truly  grateful. 

The  Coi-ps  amounted,  from  first  to  last,  to  nearly 
four  thousand  men.  The  -first  detachment  consisted 
only  of  railway  labourers,  sent  out  to  make  them- 
selves generally  useful  in  all  works  connected  with 
the  army  and  its  position  in  the  Crimea,  which  could 
be  performed  by  manual  labour.  But  in  the  succeed- 
ing draughts,  the  numbers  of  artisans  of  various  kinds, 
smiths,  stonemasons,  bricklayers,  &c.,  &c.,  preponde- 
rated above  the  labourers.  The  first  ship  sailed  early 
in  July,  and  the  last  about  the  middle  of  December, 


150  MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN. 

1855.  The  men  assembled  to  be  chosen  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  Office,  and  remained  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood until  their  several  embarkations. 

News  was  brought  to  the  Rectory,  on  the  evening 
of  the  19th  of  May,  that  several  strangers  had  arrived 
to  look  for  lodgings  in  the  village ;  so  we  went  out  to 
meet  them,  to  begin  acquaintance  with  them  at  once, 
knowing  that  the  time  would  be  short  for  the  work 
before  us. 

It  had  been  a  sorrowful  day ;  the  anniversary  of 
our  last  parting  with  Hedley  Vicars  occurring  whilst 
we  were  yet  in  the  first  freshness  of  a  sorrow  which 
can  never  grow  old.  One  of  his  sisters  went  with  me; 
and  we  had  agreed  to  plead,  for  that  evening's  work, 
the  promise  which  seemed  one  of  peculiar  beauty  to 
us  just  then,  "  They  that  sow  in  tears  shall  reap  in 

joy." 

As  we  walked^  through  the  village  we  saw  a 
group  of  young  men,  who  were  described  to  us  as 
"  the  roughest  lot  as  ever  come  to  Beckenham."  At 
the  first  words  addressed  to  them  they  looked  sur- 
prised, and  somewhat  disposed  to  walk  away;  but 
they  soon  began  to  shew  signs  of  pleasure  in  the 
cordial  interest  taken  in  their  prospects,  and  in  hear- 
ing better  information  concerning  the  country  they 
were  bound  for,  than  it  had  been  in  their  power  to 
obtain  before.  At  the  first  few  words  about  "  another 
country,"  the  smile  of  one  bright,  young  face  spread 


MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN.  151 

into  a  broad  laugh ;  but  before  we  parted  an  expres- 
sion of  grave  and  serious  feeling  was  there  instead. 

I  briefly  told  the  story  of  grace  touching  him 
whom  we  had  seen  for  the  last  time  on  earth  that 
day  year.  For  a  moment  one  or  two  seemed  dis- 
posed to  doubt  its  truth ;  so  I  said,  "  The  young  lady 
by  my  side  is  Ms  sister, ''"'  They  almost  started;  and 
sympathy,  as  gently  respectful  as  any  man  in  England 
could  manifest,  was  expressed  in  their  countenances 
and  manners.  An  Irishman,  called  Tom  Hagan, 
said,  after  a  few  moments'  silence,  "  I'm  not  a  gentle- 
man like  he,  but  I'm  a  brother,  and  have  a  little 
sister  that  I  love,  so  I  can  feel  for  her." 

We  had  their  hearts  and  confidence,  then,  for  we 
stood  upon  equal  ground.  We  had  met  them  with 
friendly  interest;  they  had  returned  it  with  gene- 
rous sympathy.  So  it  was  easy  to  ask  and  obtain 
the  promise  of  their  attendance  in  church  next  day — 
a  promise  kept  by  all ;  and  in  the  evening  we  met 
again  for  a  cottage-reading. 

By  Monday  night  they  had  added  to  their  num- 
bers for  another  ^'  reading,"  and  listened  with  earnest 
attention. 

We  went  to  some  of  their  lodging-houses  the  next 
evening  to  leave  some  little  books.  At  one  of  these 
houses  the  landlady  remarked,  "  I  have  three  of  the 
tallest,  darkest,  wildest  men  lodging  here  that  I  ever 
set  eyes  on.      But  one  of  them  cried    like  a  child 


152  MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN. 

for  an  hour  or  fo  after  he  came  back  from  last 
night's  readmg,  .'nd  said  he  wislied  he  might  have 
listened  to  it  ell  night.  His  name  is  Richard 
J ." 

We  promised  to  wait  till  he  came  in ;  and  just  then 
the  doorway  w^s  filled  by  a  figure  of  magnificent 
strength  and  bf  auty,  whose  very  royal  bearing  con- 
(.rasted  rather  amusingly  with  his  speech,  '^  I  can't 
abear  to  wa)/:  into  the  room  where  the  ladies  are 
sitting ;  I  am  so  horrible  dirty."     He  was  a  man  in 

the  meridian  of  life,  named  William  W ,  who 

had  been  a  private  in  the  88th  Regiment;  but  was 
now  dressed  in  the  dusty  fustian  of  a  working  man. 
He  had  married  a  wife  in  a  position  of  life  which  he 
thought  somewhat  superior  to  his  own,  and  had  pur- 
chased his  discharge,  to  obtain,  instead,  "  waterside 
work  "  at  his  native  place,  Sunderland.  He  con- 
fided to  me  that  he  was  sadly  troubled  in  his  mind 
about  having  left  his  wife  without  a  word  of  kind- 
ness for  a  farewell.  They  had  quarrelled ;  he  went 
out  to  drink,  as  too  often  was  his  wont,  and  had  been 
led  into  the  railway  carriage  by  his  friends  in  a  state 
of  unconsciousness. 

"  Had  he  written  to  her  since,  and  expressed  his 
regret?" 

^'  He  could  not  write  himself,  but  a  mate  had  done 
it  for  him,  and  she  would  not  answer." 

"  Should  I  write  at  his  dictation  ?  '* 


MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN.  153 

His  countenance  brightened,  and  the  evening  and 
hour  were  fixed  for  the  purpose. 

When  I  said  a  word  or  two  ahout  the  misery 
which  sin  always  brought,  he  interrupted  me  by  ex- 
claiming, "  Now,  don't  ye  say  any  more  about  that. 
You  pressed  me  so  hard  about  it  at  the  reading 
that  I  could  have  cried  out,  and  I  did  when  I  got 
back." 

"And  did  you  cry  to  God?" 

"  I  did ;  and  have  prayed  that  pretty  prayer  you 
taught  us,  every  night  since." 

Just  then  the  other  men  came  in,  and  we  all  knelt 
down  for  prayer. 

Ten  minutes  after  I  had  left  these  fine,  impulsive, 
full-grown  cliildren  with  tears  upon  their  cheeks, 
they  were  fighting  with  knives ! 

Two  letters  were  lying  on  the  table  for  the  men 
who  came  in  last.  They  were  from  their  wives ;  and 
these  men  began  to  taunt  William  about  the  silence 
of  his  wife.  He  could  not  stand  it,  and  seized  his 
supper-knife.  Just  as  they  were  attacking  each 
other,  the  landlady  nobly  rushed  between  them,  ex- 
claiming, "  Stop,  for  the  lady's  sake,  stop.  It  will 
break  her  heart  to  hear  of  your  fight,  and  after  that 
])rayer,  too." 

The  men  desisted,  and  sat  down  ashamed.  She 
then  told  William  W to  seek  lodgings  else- 
where.     He    was    received    at    a    public-house — a 


154  MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN. 

dangerous  home  for  a  man  with  his  propensity  ta 
intemperance. 

The  evening  he  had  appointed  came,  hut  no  Wil- 
liam W appeared;  nor  did  I  see  him  again  for 

some  days. 

Several  of  these  strangers  walked  to  Elmer's  End — 
a  hamlet  at  one  extremity  of  the  parish — for  the  cot- 
tage-reading, which  is  always  held  there  on  Friday 
evening.  One,  after  conferring  with  his  friends, 
remarked  to  me,  "  I  wish  the  whole  lot  could  hear 
these  things.  We're  all  together  outside  the  Crystal 
Palace  at  seven  of  a  morning ;  and  the  paymaster 
says  we're  the  finest  lot  he  ever  saw,  and  the  wildest 
■ — ^just  like  four  hundred  roaring  lions." 

The  hint  was   taken,  and   by  seven    o'clock  the 

next  morning,  L and   I   drove  to  the  ground 

appointed,  where  we  found  about  fifty  men  assem- 
bled. We  sent  the  carriage  away  for  a  time,  and 
occupied  ourselves  at  first  in  distributing  little 
books  and  cards  of  prayer.  Conversation  easily 
followed;  and  by  the  time  the  remainder  of  the 
four  hundred  began  to  make  their  appearance,  the 
first  fifty  had  become  our  firm  friends.  Not  one 
uncivil  word  was  said ;  not  one  unwillirg  hand 
received  the  prayer.  As  they  gathered  round  in 
increasing  circles,  I  was  struck  with  the  earnest- 
ness of  their  listening  countenances.  They  were 
the  most  peculiar  body  of  men  whom  I  have  ever 


MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN.  155 

met.  Advertised  for,  in  this  first  instance,  for  strength 
alone — men,  whose  muscle  and  sinew  constituted 
their  character,  and  whose  working  power,  therefore, 
stood  for  their  morale^  were  thus  gathered  together  on 
that  ground  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  The  north 
of  England  had  sent  most — from  Lancashire,  Dur- 
ham, and  Northumberland.  But  we  had  our  Cornish 
men,  too,  and  our  Kentish,  and  a  sprinkling  from 
nearly  all  the  coast;  and  a  knot  of  "kindly  Scots," 
and  some  warm-hearted  Irish  Roman  Catholics. 

Wild  they  might  be;  and  absolutely  undisciplined, 
doubtless,  they  were ;  but  it  is  difficult  to  judge  hardly 
of  those  who  received  every  friendly  advance  with  a 
cordial  but  ever-respectful  confidence ;  who  combined 
their  manly  courtesy  with  the  trust  of  childhood  ; 
and  who  valued  the  kindly  regard  shewn  them,  during 
a  few  weeks  of  intercourse,  so  warmly,  as  to  be 
unable  to  speak  of  it,  many  months  afterwards,  with- 
out emotion.  And  here  I  may  mention,  that  in  all 
my  acquaintance  with  working  men,  never  have  they 
let  me  hear  a  single  oath,  nor  one  expression  which 
could,  in  the  remotest  degree,  shock  or  pain  me. 

In  the  background  of  the  furthest  circle,  on  the 

morning  just  referred   to,   stood   William   W ^ 

vainly  trying  to  conceal  himself,  remarkable  for 
height  and  strength  even  amongst  that  remarkable 
four  hundred.  When  he  saw  that  I  had  perceived 
liim,  he  bowed  gravely  and  respectfully ;  and,  as  we 


156  MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN. 

drove  away  from  the  crowd,  I  appointed  him  io  call 
at  the  Eectory  the  same  evening,  that  I  might  falfil 
my  promise  of  writing  to  his  wife  for  him.  We  left 
with  many  a  kindly  "  God  bless  ye,"  to  cheer  us  on 
our  homeward  way. 

At  one  o'clock  a  woman  came  to  the  Rectory,  ask- 
ing to  "  see  the  lady  who  had  spoken  to  the  navvy 
men ;  because  her  husband  had  sent  her  to  have  the 
same  things  said  to  her."  She  said  he  had  been  a 
hard  drinker,  and  very  unkind  to  her ;  and  "  that  he 
had  refused  to  allow  her  any  part  of  his  wages  during 
his  absence  in  the  Crimea.  But  when  she  came  down 
to  Sydenham  that  morning,  he  had  said  that  he  had 
just  been  hearing  things  which  made  him  wish  to 
live  different;  and  that  he  would  allow  her  twenty 
shillings  a-week  out  of  his  thirty  shillings'  wages, 
and  wished  they  could  both  turn  good,  and  be  friends. 
After  what  he  had  heard  about  the  good  Saviour's 
love,  he  did  not  wish  to  live  in  hate,  leastways  with 
his  own  wife."  Here  the  woman  wept,  and  added, 
"  I  never  heard  the  like  from  him,  nor  half  such 
kind  words  since  he  became  a  London  navvy  five 
years  ago." 

On  the  Sunday  week,  both  husband  and  wife  walked 
from  Londorij  for  the  afternoon  service  at  Beckenham 
Church,  and  were  invited  into  the  Rectory  afterwards 
for  refreshment.  I  asked  him  what  were  the  words 
which  God  had  made  a  message  to  his  heart  on  the 


MORE  HEARTS  TO  WfN.  157 

day  they  liad  first  met  ?  He  replied,  "  The  story  of 
the  young  officer,  who  had  read  in  another  man's  Bible 
that  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  clean seth  from  all  sin, 
and  had  made  up  his  mind  at  once  to  live  as  a  washed 
man  should — and  then  you  said  as  we  had  better 
begin  that  morning,  and  so  I  did;  and  have  been 
going  on  the  same  ever  since,  by  God's  help." 

Punctual  to  his  appointment,  William  W came 

at  seven  o'clock  that  Saturday  evening.  He  was 
shewn  into  the  dining-room  on  his  arrival,  where  I 
found  him  taking  a  lively  interest  in  the  portraits  on 
the  wall,  and  the  size  of  the  folio  volumes  in  the 

book-cases.   He  said  afterwards  to  Mary  E ,  "  She 

had  me  into  a  sitting-room,  and  it  was  just  like 
heaven  :  such  a  sight  of  books,  and  such  a  large  din- 
ner-table." A  luxury  which,  I  suppose,  we  can 
hardly  appreciate,  w^ithout  attempting  to  dine  at  a 
cottage  dinner-table,  some  two  feet  in  diameter,  en- 
circled by  seven  or  eight  children,  and  at  last  to  find 
we  must  retreat  to  take  refuge  in  a  chimney  corner, 
reduced  to  resting  our  plate  upon  our  knees. 

When  I  had  brought  in  my  portfolio,  and  asked 
William  W to  dictate  his  letter,  his  look  of  ani- 
mated observation  was  subdued  at  once  into  grave 
though  tfulness. 

That  letter  was  a  sacred  confidence  between  tw( 
hearts,  of  which  I  was  in  all  honour  bound  to  con- 
sider myself  but  as  the  mere  pen  to  communicate 


158  MOKE  HEARTS  TO  WIN. 

But  to  the  liigh  tojie,  which  it  conveyed,  of  that  man's 
moral  feeling,  to  his  sensitiveness  of  conscience,  to 
his  noble  and  manly  frankness  in  the  confession  of 
that  which  pressed  upon  his  heart,  to  a  wife  who  was 
then  imsoftened  towards  him — no  description  couhl 
do  justice. 

When  I  had  written  three  or  four  pages,  he  paused, 
and  1  inquired  what  else  he  would  like  me  to  say. 

"  Nothing  more,  ma'am,  thank  you." 

"Then  how  would  you  like  to  conclude?" 

"  Not  to  conclude  yet,  if  you  please." 

I  looked  perplexed.  After  a  moment's  hesitation 
he  added  earnestly,  "  Please,  ma'am,  would  you  work 
up  her  feelings  a  bit  ?" 

^^  If  your  letter  fails  to  do  so,"  I  silently  thought, 
"  my  postscript  will  be  to  little  purpose  indeed." 

However,  I  saw  that  his  heart  was  set  upon  this, 
and  accordingly  I  added  a  vivid  description  of  the  pro- 
bable dangers  of  his  life  in  the  Crimea,  and  suggested 
that  she  would  not  be  altogether  happy  if  she  should 
hear  of  his  death  there,  without  having  written  him 
one  word  of  forgiving  love. 

The  combination  of  letter  and  postscript  did  its 
work  well ;  for  she  left  Northumberland  for  Becken- 
ham  within  twenty-four  hours  aft3r  she  had  received  it. 

When  William  had  heard  the  whole  letter  read, 
and  had  pronounced  it  ''as  just  what  it  should  be," 
he  confessed  frankly,  but  with  an  expression  of  deep 


MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN.  159 

remorse  and  shame,  that  he  had  been  very  unkind  to 
his  wife  when  he  was  under  the  influence  of  intoxi- 
cating liquors. 

"  Never  otherwise,  I  am  sure,  William  !  You  are 
not  the  sort  of  man  who  could  be  unkind  to  a  woman, 
except  when  you  are  not  yourself^ 

The  tears  stood  in  his  eyes ;  "  I  don't  think  I  could 
be,  least  of  all  to  my  good  wife.  I  married  when  I 
was  a  boy,  as  ye  may  say,  twenty-three  years  ago ; 
and  Margaret  is  as  good  a  wife  as  any  man  was  ever 
tied  to." 

This  led  to  my  urging  him  to  give  up  drinking — 
to  make  a  resolution  at  once  about  it,  in  the  strength 
of  the  Lord  of  Hosts. 

I  told  him  that  I  could  not  bear  to  see  men  with 
fine  intellects,  and  noble  generous  natures,  degrading 
themselves  lower  than  the  beasts  that  perish  j  and 
then  I  spoke  of  the  dignity  of  man  before  the  fall, 
when  he  lived  in  the  likeness  of  Him  who  had  created 
him ;  and  not  alone  his  restoration,  but  his  elevation 
to  a  still  higher  dignity  by  the  life  and  death  of  the 
God-man,  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord — who  had  redeemed 
us  unto  God  by  His  blood,  and  had  made  us  "  kings 
and  priests  unto  our  God." 

There  was  something  wonderfully  interesting  in 
watching  the  latent  intellect  and  fine  feeling  in  that 
remarkable  man  burst  forth,  as  he  listened  to  truths 
*bat  were  new  to  him  then  j  and  which  opened  the 


160  MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN. 

way  to  a  higher  and  holler  life  for  him  thenceforth. 
The  tears  glittered  in  his  eyes,  and  his  whole  counte- 
nance grew  radiant.  Little  did  he  think  that  before 
another  year  had  passed,  he  should  have  entered  into 
eternity;  to  realise  in  full,  as  I  humbly  hope  and 
trust,  through  the  merits  of  his  Eedeemer,  that  high 
and  holy  life,  the  first  glimpse  of  which  had  wrought 
upon  his  soul  so  powerfully. 

After  the  concluding  prayer  at  the  cottage,  the  next 
evening,  he  knelt  on,  with  his  face  covered,  after  the 
others  had  risen  up.  A  day  or  two  later  I  took  occa- 
sion to  speak  with  the  landlord  of  the  public-house 
where  he  lodged.  I  rejoiced  to  hear  him  remark — 
"  We  have  a  man  here,  madam,  who  will  thank  God, 
I  believe,  that  he  ever  came  to  Beckenham.  He  sat 
up  with  me  for  an  hour  and  a  half  on  Sunday  night, 
and  said  he  had  felt  as  he  had  never  felt  before,  at 
that  reading  and  prayer,  and  seemed  ready  to  cry  any 
minute ;  I  never  saw  a  man  more  in  earnest.  He 
told  me  that  he  had  had  terrible  fits  of  drinking,  but 
that  he  wanted  to  give  it  all  up  now.  And,  says  he, 
^  Landlord,  don't  ask  me  to  take  a  glass,  because  I'm 
weak  still,  ye  see,  like  a  new-born  baby.' " 

Just  then  William  W walked  in,  and  requested 

to  be  allowed  to  speak  with  me  alone  for  a  moment. 
A  letter  from  his  wife  had  crossed  his  own.  He  had 
carefully  wrapped  it  in  various  papers,  and  for  further 
safety  all  were  bound  up  in  a  crimson  pocket  hand- 


MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN.  161 

kerchief.  Its  contents  were  not  v<^ry  remarkable ; 
but  lie  said  "it  was  kinder  than  he  deserved,"  and 
his  heart  was  gladdened.  He  said  ''  he  had  got  a 
friend  to  write  a  line  for  her  to  come  to  Beckenham, 
if  she  liked.  It  could  be  paid  for  out  of  his  wages. 
He  should  like  to  see  her  once  again,  and  hear  her 
say  a  kind  good-bye." 

These  "  country  gentlemen  "  of  the  working  classes 
— men  of  free,  warm  hearts  and  open  hands — never 
harass  themselves  on  the  question  of  "  What  will  it 
cost?"  And  least  of  all  where  their  affections  are 
concerned. 

At  this  time  Thomas  Dibley  and  some  others, 
whom  we  had  formerly  known,  returned  to  lodge  in 
Beckenham  previously  to  going  out  to  the  Crimea, 
and  joined  with  the  strangers,  with  whom  we  were 
just  making  acquaintance,  in  attending  the  cottage- 
readings,  which  were  held  almost  every  evening,  as 
the  time  was  short,  and  many  more  wished  to  be 
present  than  could  be  accommodated  at  one  time. 

We  now  drove  regularly  to  the  place  appointed 
for  their  "roll-call"  each  morning;  and  always  met 
with  a  cordial  and  respectful  reception.  On  Whit- 
Tuesday  a  general  invitation  was  given  for  those 
who  would  like  "  a  cottage- reading"  under  the 
trees  on  the  Kectory  lawn,  to  assemble  for  that  pur- 
pose at  ten  in  the  morning.  As  rain  came  on,  the 
coach-house  -was  cleared,  and  sejpjiP^"%  eighty  took 


162  MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN. 

shelter  there,  and  listened  with  lively  interest  to  the 
9th  chapter  of  Acts,  and  other  portions  of  St  Paul's 
wonderful  biography.  Then  my  father  came,  and 
addressed  them,  and  prayed  with  them.  Many  were 
in  tears  as  they  rose  up,  and  thanked  us  heartily. 

On   the   next   Sunday   morning,  John  R ,  a 

navvy  of  considerable  education  and  natural  talent, 
who  had  great  influence  with  his  companions,  called 
to  say  that  a  large  number  of  the  men,  who  were 
within  walking  distance,  had  agreed  to  come  from 
their  various  quarters  to  attend  Beckenham  Church 
in  the  afternoon,  and  then  to  assemble  on  the  Eectory 
lawn,  if  permitted,  for  a  farewell  address  and  prayer 
for  themselves,  believing  it  would  be  their  last  Sun- 
day before  leaving  England. 

Every  aisle  and  every  corner  of  the  church  were 
crowded  with  these  men,  who  listened  with  profound 
attention,  and  especially  when  my  father  earnestly 
addressed  them  at  the  close  of  his  sermon. 

For  some  little  time  after  the  service  was  over, 
they  walked  about  the  Eectory  grounds  in  com- 
panies, taking  scrupulous  care  of  the  borders  of  beds 
in  the  floAver  garden.  About  a  hundred  were  there. 
Each  man  received  a  Testament,  with  his  name 
written  in  it,  and  a  Cottage  Hymn-book.  Then  they 
formed  a  half  circle  before  the  hall  door,  and  united 
in  singing  Cowper's  hymn,  beginning, 

"  There  is  a  fountain  fill'd  with  blood." 


^Pi  ill.'  ■ ,  ■ 


MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN.  163 

Mr  Chalmers  then  addressed  thera,  and  afterwards 
Captain  Vandeleur. 

Those  who  had  walked  from  a  distance  were 
invited  to  remain  and  have  some  tea ;  but  it  grieved 
us  that  any  should  go  away  without  it.  So  the  next 
day  we  consoled  ourselves  by  writing  an  invitation 
to  all  who  had  come  for  any  of  these  gatherings  for 
religious  purposes  to  meet  at  the  Rectory  that  after- 
noon for  tea,  coffee,  and  cake.  A  deputation  of  four 
arrived  to  refuse  it !     "  They  had  rather  not." 

I  felt  pained  ;  and  probably  they  saw  this,  for  a 
noble  fellow,  named  Job  liesketh,  said,  "  Don't  ye 
think  we  shouldn't  like  it ;  but  it  goes  against  us, 
after  that  sight  of  beautiful  books  you  have  given  us, 
to  take  anything  more  out  of  ladies'  pockets.  Why, 
we've  cost  you  a  fortune  already." 

We  explained  that  the  pleasure  was  beyond  the 
expense  of  tea,  coffee,  and  cake,  and  that  we  could 
not  bear  to  be  disappointed ;  but  that,  as  it  was 
growing  late,  the  tea-party  should  be  changed  into 
a  breakfast-party  for  the  following  morning. 

Job  Hesketh  said,  "  I  shall  want  you  to  put  by  a 
pound  a-week  for  me,  and  to  spend  the  interest  of  it 
on  your  scholars,  like  us,  that  you  want  books  for." 

"  Thank  you.  Job ;  but  I  would  rather  put  by  the 
interest  for  you,  and  you  shall  give  it  to  God  your- 
self, Avhen  you  come  back  by  His  kind  care." 

*^  Well,  you'd  do  it  best,  anyhow.     And  we're  all 


164  MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN. 

saying  we'd  feel  our  money  safer  in  a  lady's  hands 
than  in  our  own,  any  day." 

Job  was  alter  wards  discharged  by  the  surgeon,  as 
unfit  to  go  to  the  Crimea,  owing  to  an  injury  to  his 
chest,  from  the  blow  of  a  cricket-ball.  He  looked 
the  picture  of  health  and  strength. 

In  the  afternoon  we  drove  to  the  Palace,  and  found 
several  new  faces.  They  wished  their  names  to  be 
written  down  for  the  gift  of  Testaments,  and  begged 
that  the  list  might  be  preserved  to  insure  their  being 

remembered    afterwards.      L overheard  one    of 

them  saying,  '•  She  will  have  we  to  become  religious." 

An  overflowing  number  came  to  the  cottage-read- 
ing that  evening.  I  heard  men  sobbing  outside  the 
open  door.  On  my  way  back  a  respectable  and 
nice-looking  young  woman  stopped  me,  exclaiming, 
in  a  voice  half  choked  by  tears,  "  I've  come  from 
Sunderland  to  see  my  husband  a  changed  man  ;  and, 
oh,  ma'am — God  for  ever  bless  you — it  would  be 
worth  going  to  the  world's  end  to  see  him  so."  It 
was  Richard  J 's  wife. 

William  W had  brought  Ms  wife  to  the  Rectory 

two  or  three  evenings  before.  She  was  a  very  re- 
spectable-looking person,  who  spoke  her  mother- 
tongue  without  any  vernacular,  and  had  very  good 
manners.  He  was  decidedly  proud  of  her,  as  ^'  upper 
crust,"  according  to  his  own  expression.  There  was 
something  truly  great    in   the  way   in    which     he 


MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN.  165 

listened  to  her  exposition  of  his  faults — great  in  its 
manly,  yet  humble  acquiescence.  A  sort  of  manner 
which  said,  "  She  can't  say  too  much,  for  I  know  too 
well  that  I  deserve  a  great  deal  more." 

At  length  I  ventured  to  suggest  that  bygones 
should  be  bygones,  and  that  we  should  all  strive,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  to  follow  the  example  of  the  father 
in  our  Saviom^'s  wondrously  beautiful  parable  of  the 
prodigal  son,  who  welcomed  his  penitent  back  to  his 
bosom,  without  one  word  of  reproach,  and  called  for 
all  the  treasures  and  honours  of  his  house  to  lavish 
upon  the  beloved  one. 

To  my  satisfaction  she  replied,  "  0  yes,  ma'am  5 
and  it  is  only  to  make  you  see  how  great  the  change 
is  that  I  have  been  telling  you  of  wliat  went  before 
it." 

Half-past  ten  was  the  hour  appointed  the  next 
morning  for  the  breakfast-party.  The  gates  were 
thrown  open ;  and  we  felt  rather  surprised  when  the 
hour  came  and  none  entered.  But  on  walliing  to  the 
chief  entrance,  my  sister  found  the  three  roads  which 
met  there  literally  lined  with  men,  '^  waiting  for  one 
of  tl\e  family  to  bid  them  welcome  before  they  could 
take  the  liberty  of  coming  in."  They  walked  to  the 
lawn  four  abreast,  and  sat  doAvn  under  the  shade  of 
the  old  trees.  It  was  a  most  picturesque  scene. 
Those  magnificent  men,  who  might  have  been  coveted 
for  the  Queen's  company  in  the  Grenadier  Guards, 


1G6  MORE  HEARTS  TO  WIN. 

dressed  in  their  easy  and  becoming  costume  of  white 
''  slops,"  here  and  there  diversified  by  a  blouse,  with 
rose-red  neck-ties.  They  were  very  quiet,  but  very 
cheerful — ready  for  any  little  joke  from  those  who 
waited  upon  them.  Captain  Yandeleur  was  in  pecu- 
liar favour  in  this  point  of  view,  and  also  for  the  sake 
of  his  fresh  information  from  the  Crimea,  whence  he 
had  just  arrived.  As  we  were  to  leave  home  that 
day,  and  the  men  expected  to  sail  for  the  Crimea 
within  two  days  later,  I  shook  hands  with  them  all 
after  breakfast,  and  bade  them  farewell.  Then  Mr 
Chalmers  prayed,  and  all  their  voices  joined  with 
his,  audibly,  as  they  knelt  on  the  turf;  and  then 
they  rose  to  sing  "  The  Parting  Hymn "  in  the 
Cottage  Hymn-book. 

An  hour  afterwards  we  left  Beckenham  to  go  into 
Essex.  They  were  all  "  lining  the  roads "  again 
by  the  Eectory  gates,  waiting  for  another  farewell. 
Some  of  the  younger  men  had  proposed  to  cheer  us 
as  we  passed,  but  the  elder  ones  had  said  ^'  it  was 
too  solemn  for  that."  So  there  they  st  )od,  with  hats 
held  high  above  their  heads,  voice  after  voice  mur- 
muring ''  God  bless  yel" 


CHAPTER    XII. 


Deal  gently  with  the  erring  I 

Ye  know  not  of  the  power 
"With  which  the  dark  temptation  camc^ 

In  some  unguarded  hour. 
Ye  may  not  know  how  earnestly 

He  struggled,  or  how  well. 

Until  the  hour  of  darkness  came. 

And  sadly  thus  he  fell. 
*  *  *  • 

Heir  of  the  self-same  heritage. 
Child  of  the  self-same  God, 

He  hath  but  stumbled  in  the  paA 
Thou  hast  in  weaknefs  trod," 


The  expedition  ol  the  first  detacliment  of  tiie  Army 
Works  Corps  met  with  a  considerable  delay  in  its 
embarkation  for  the  Crimea ;  and  the  men  were  con- 
sequently remanded  to  the  neiglibomhood  of  the 
Crystal  Palace. 

Until  ten  days  after  the  date  of  the  farewell  break- 
fast-party, Mr  Chalmers  was  able  to  remain  at 
Beckenham,  and  to  meet  the  men  for  a  short  service, 
twice  a-day,  under  a  railway  bridge  in  his  parish, 
very  near  the  Crystal  Palace  grounds.  He  found 
them  uniformly  attentive  and  grateful.  They  attached 
themselves  to  him  heartily,  calling  him  "  our  parson," 
and  always  inquiring  for  him  afterwards  with  unqua- 
lified afiection  and  regard. 

A  few  days  afterwards,  Mr  Chalmers  having  been 
obliged  to  leave  home  for  a  time,  a  sort  of  "  round- 
robin  ''  reached  me,  containing  a  pressing  request 
from  the  navvies  for  my  immediate  return,  "  to  give 
them  some  more  good  advice  before  they  should  go 
away  from  their  own  country,  perhaps  never  to 
return." 


170  HAKD  FIGHTING  WITH  OLD  FOES. 

This  appeal  at  once  recalled  me ;  and  as  we  drove 
from  the  Sydenham  station  I  passed  several  of  their 
friendly  faces,  and  received  many  a  hearty  welcome. 
On  my  way  to  the  cottage  for  a  gathering  of  as  many 
as  C3uld  be  called  together  at  so  short  a  notice,  I  saw 

William  W standing  at  the  door  of  the  small 

inn  where  he  lodged.  He  turned  his  head  away,  and 
I  felt  too  sure  that  all  was  not  right  with  him.  His 
wife  stood  by  his  side,  and  said,  ^'  Oh,  ma'am,  whilst 
the  Kector  was  here,  and  had  him  up  to  family 
prayers  every  day  at  the  Rectory,  he  went  on  as  well 
as  ever  you  saw  him,  but  he  has  fallen  back  since 
terribly." 

It  saddened  me  so  much  that  I  could  hardly  speak 
just  then,  so  I  only  said,  "Come  with  me  to  hear 
God's  Word,  and  to  pray  to  Him,  whatever  may 
have  happened." 

They  came;  and  William  wept  as  he  heard  of 
St  Peter's  fall  and  recovery,  and  of  his  great  love  for 
his  Master  ever  after,  and  how  his  heart  warmed  as 
he  wrote  of  having  been  not  "  redeemed  by  corruptible 
things,"  but  "  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ." 

On  Sunday  afternoon  a  large  number  came  to 
church,  and  into  the  Rectory  grounds  afterwards.  The 
weather  was  threatening,  so  they  were  invited  into 
the  house,  and  filled  the  inner  and  outer  hall,  and  the 
rooms  opening  into  them.  They  seemed  much  in 
earnest,  and  nearly  every  voice  united  in  prayer,  after 


HARD  FIGHTING  WITH  OLD  FOES.  171 

we  had  read  the  first  chapter  of  St  Peter's  First 
Epistle. 

William  W was  not  there  j  neither  had  he  been 

seen  at  church,  morning  or  afternoon.  It  was  clear 
that  he  was  determined  now  to  take  the  downward 
path,  and  to  avoid  whatever  would  remind  him  of  his 
better  hopes  and  purposes.  The  only  thing  left  was 
to  go  and  seek  him  out,  like  the  woman,  who,  when 
siie  had  lost  her  piece  of  silver,  s^ept  diligently  until 
she  had  found  it.* 

At  the  door  of  the  inn  where  William  lodged  stood 
the  landlord's  niece.  She  enteied  heartily  into  the 
wish  to  see  him  reclaimed ;  and  led  me  into  a  quiet 

sitting-room,  whither  she  sent  for  Mrs  W .    The 

poor  wife  told  me,  that  the  day  after  Mr  Chalmers 
had  left  Beckenham,  some  old  friends  of  William's 
had  come  to  see  him,  near  the  Palace  grounds,  and  had 
reproached  him  for  being  too  religious  now  to  "  treat " 
them,  and  had  called  him  "  near  "  (the  fatal  word 
which  drives  so  many  of  these  poor  fellows  back  into 
sin).  He  was  stung  to  the  quick,  and  then  sold  his 
clothes,  in  order  to  feast  his  friends  with  the  money 

thus  made.    Mrs  W seemed  iQUch  distressed,  and 

joined  fervently  with  me  in  prayer  for  her  husband,  and 
for  grace  and  wisdom  for  herself  to  enable  her  to  win 
him  gently  back  again.  Then  she  went  to  see  if  she 
could  persuade  him  to  come  and  see  me,  but  she  said 

*  Luke  XV.  8, 


172  HARD  FIGHTING  WITH  OLD  FOES. 

"  he  had  ahnost  vowed  that  he  never  would  again." 
'Where  was  the  good,"  he  argued,  "  of  bemg  pulled 
up  to  be  better  for  a  day  or  two,  only  to  go  down  the 
lower  afterwards  ?  " 

"  Tell  him,"  I  said,  "  that  I  shall  stay  here  until 
he  comes."  A  long  time  passed.  It  was  close  upon 
the  hour  of  the  cottage-reading.  At  length  a  slow, 
unwilling  step  was  on  the  stair.  It  was  William's. 
The  door  was  opened  by  his  wife;  and  closing  it 
upon  him,  she  slipped  away.  He  sat  down  with  a 
sullen,  desponding  countenance,  and  made  no  answer 
to  anything  I  remarked  or  inquired,  until  at  last  he 
said,  in  a  low  but  determined  voice,  ''  It  is  no  use  at 
all ;  I  have  sold  my  soul  to  the  devil." 

"  But  he  shall  not  have  it,  William  ;  it  is  not  yours 
to  sell !  Jesus  Christ  has  bought  it  with  His  own 
blood.  Oh,  William,  I  must — I  w411  have  it  for 
Jesus  Christ." 

I  could  not  say  more,  for  my  voice  failed ;  but 
his  whole  countenance  altered,  like  the  face  of  a  man 
fi'om  whom  an  evil  spirit  had  gone  out.  The  strong 
man  bowed  his  head  and  Avept.  "  What  shall  I  do  ? 
what  can  I  do  ?  " 

''  You  can  pray.     Let  us  pray  now." 

He  laid  his  head  on  the  table  as  he  knelt,  and 
cried  like  a  child.  He  had  become  "  a  little 
child  "  again  j  in  the  sense  of  our  Saviour's  words, 
"Except   ye   be    converted,    and    become    as    little 


HARD  FIGHTING  WITH  OLD  FOES.  173 

children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven." 

As  he  rose  up,  I  asked,  "  Did  you  pray,  too  ?  " 
"  A  little,"  he  replied,  with  characteristic  truthful- 
ness. 

He  and  his  wife  were  at  the  cottage-reading 
almost  immediately  afterwards.  When  we  sang  the 
hymn,  beginning, 

*'  Come,  thou  fount  of  every  blessing," 

he  was  much  affected ;  and  he  could  only  "  make 
melody  in  his  heart  to  the  Lord  "  with  lips  that 
trembled  too  much  to  sing,  as  we  came  to  the  last 

verses — 

*'  Jesus  sought  me,  when  a  stranger. 
Wandering  from  the  fuld  of  God, 
He,  to  save  my  soul  from  danger. 
Interposed  His  precious  blood. 

"  Oh,  to  grace  how  great  a  debtor 
Daily  I  'm  constrain'd  to  be  ; 
May  that  grace,  Lord,  like  a  fetter. 
Bind  my  wandering  heart  to  Thee. 

**  Prone  to  wander.  Lord,  1  feel  it. 
Prone  to  leave  the  God  I  love ; 
Here 's  my  heart — Lord,  take  and  seal  it^ 
Seal  it  from  Thy  courts  above  1  ** 


The  18th  of  June  was  a  day  of  intense  interest.  A 
report  had  reached  me  that  the  men  would  leave  the 
neighbourhood  to  go  on  board  the  following  morn- 


174  HARD  FIGHTlNa  WITH  OLD  FOES. 

ing.     In  consequence  of  this,  M L and  I 

drove  to  the  Crystal  Palace  grounds  by  eight  in  the 
morning  to  take  leave  of  them,  and  to  give  Testa- 
ments, &c.,  to  all  who  had  not  yet  received  them. 
The  men  were  gathered  in  groups  in  front  of  their 
tents.  An  officer  ot  the  corps  kindly  arranged  them 
in  companies  of  fifty — comprising  two  "gangs"  in 
each,  with  the  "gangers"  at  their  head — to  be 
addressed  separately.  They  were  all  grave  and 
grateful;  and  many  expressed  thankfulness  to  God 
for  having  led  them  to  this  neighbourhood. 

Previously  to  this  interview,  I  had  offered  to  take 
charge  of  any  portion  of  their  large  wages  which 
they  chose  to  empo  ver  me  to  receive  for  them  during 
their  engagement  in  the  Crimea,  to  deposit  them  in 
the  Savings'  Bank,  in  the  form  of  a  Friendly  Club, 
and  to  keep  a  private  account  for  each  man.  A 
large  number  of  men  gladly  accepted  this  proposition. 
Many  of  them  requested  us  to  forward  to  needy 
relatives  a  portion  of  the  money  thus  saved,  which 
varied  from  ten  tc  twenty  shillings  weekly.  Kot 
only  wives  and  children  were  thus  provided  for,  but 
amongst  the  majority,  who  had  no  such  ties,  an  aged 
mother,  an  infirm  vather,  a  widowed  sister,  a  sickly 
brother,  or  orphan  nieces,  were  remembered,  with  a 
generous  care  for  their  comfort,  in  this  "  time  of  their 
wealth  "  by  those  who  toiled  for  it  night  and  day  in 
the  service  of  their  country,  and  in  many  car?c?  paid 


HARD  FIGHTING  WITH  OLD  FOES.  J  70 

for  it  by  laying  down  their  strong,  young  lives  c?^ 
that  unhealthy  shore. 

Strangers,  as  the  majority  of  those  who  daih 
arrived  to  swell  the  ranks  necessarily  Avere  to  us 
and  the  rest  only  friends  of  a  few  weeks'  standing, 
I  thought  it  but  right  to  give  a  stamped  receipt  tc 
each  man  for  the  money-order  which  had  been  drawn 
out  in  my  name,  and  carried  these  receipts  to  the 
Crystal  Palace  grounds  on  tlie  afternoon  of  the  18th. 
It  must  have  been  a  noble  trustfulness  in  those 
manly  natures  which  made  them  fling  back  those 
receipts  into  the  carriage,  by  common  consent,  with 
something  like  a  shout  of  disdain  at  the  supposition 
that  they  could  possibly  require  such  a  pledge  of 
honesty  from  a  friend  and  a  lady. 

On  the  back  of  those  money-orders  we  wrote  their 
"wills"  —  the  disposition  of  the  property  thus 
entrusted  to  us,  in  case  they  should  not  be  spared  to 
return  to  claim  it.  This  afforded  us  an  opportunity 
of  quiet  conversation  and  prayer  with  each  man,  as 
they  visited  the  Rectory  at  all  hours  on  their  pecuniary 
matters. 

Numbers  whom  I  cannot  name  here  interested  ua 

deeply.     James  C y,  a  youth  of  about  nineteen 

or  twenty  years  of  age,  told  me  that  he  was  an  orphan, 
and  had  a  young  sister  whom  he  should  like  me 
to  watch  over.  He  said,  "  ]\Iother's  dying  words  are 
always  on  ray  mind,  and  I  think  God  has  helped  me 


176  HARD  FIGHTING  WITH  OLD  FOES. 

to  trust  in  Him,  live  steady,  and  take  care  of  my 
sister,  as  she  bid  me  with  ahnost  her  last  breath." 
His  countenance,  remarkable  for  its  pure  and  peaceful 
simplicity,  bore  witness  to  his  words. 

On  the  evening  of  the  18th  of  June,  I  walked 
through  the  village  for  the  cottage-reading.    William 

W and  his  wife  were  waiting  for  me  on  the  slope 

near  the  church;  she  was  looking  hopeful  and  happy, 
and  he.  full  of  earnest  feeling. 

At  the  cottage  we  read  the  fifth  chapter  of  the 
Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  and  illustrated  the 
words,  "  We  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment- 
scat  of  Christ,"  by  the  wonderful  parable  of  Matthew 
XXV.  31-46.  We  humbly  believed  that  the  Holy 
Spirit's  life-giving  presence  was  there,  making  the 
words,  which  the  Lord  Jesus  Himself  had  spoken, 
"spirit  and  life"  to  our  souls.  We  felt  it  to  be  our 
little  Waterloo — and  called  it  so.  Battles  were  fought 
and  won ;  souls  were  trampling  down  their  old  ene- 
mies, sin  and  Satan,  by  the  mighty  help  of  the  Great 
Captain  of  their  Salvation. 

Kichard  J and  William  W ,  two  of  the  men 

who  had  lately  fought  with  knives,  were  sitting  near 
each  other,  with  overflowing  eyes,  and  with  brotherly 
love  in  their  countenances.  The  hands  that  wrung 
mine  at  parting  had  been  lifted  up  in  prayer  to  the  King 
eternal,  as  they  pledged  themselves,  by  His  grace,  to  be 
His  faithful  soldiers  and  servants  to  their  lives'  end. 


CHAPTER    XIIL 

^i  Mi' 


*'  it  is  nothing  with  Thee  to  help,  whether  with  many  or  with  them 
thftt  have  no  power." 


Tuesday  came,  but  brought  with  it  no  order  for 
the  men  to  embark ;  so  we  met  again,  morning  and 
evening.     At  night  their  wages  were  paid  in  full. 

Was  it  wonderful  that,  out  of  six  or  seven  hundred 
men,  who  had  received  full  wages,  with  no  work  for 
some  weeks,  with  no  officers  on  the  spot  to  super- 
intend them,  and  no  restriction  save  the  morning  and 
evening  roll-call — a  number,  somewhat  under  a  hun- 
dred, should  spend  that  night  in  drinking,  taking 
it  for  granted  that  it  was  their  last  in  England? 
It  is  only  just  to  state  that  none  of  the  regular  attend- 
ants at  the  ^^  cottage-readings  "  joined  in  that  revelry; 
but  some  there  were  beneath  whose  wild  spirits  I  had 
discerned  a  deeper  tone,  and  of  whom  I  had  before 
— and  have  again,  thank  God ! — a  better  hope. 

On  Wednesday  afternoon  we  drove  to  the  Crystal 
Palace  gates  to  inquire  when  the  embarkation  was 
likely  to  take  place.  Two  of  the  men  of  business  of 
the  Corps  were  standing  there,  and  came  to  the  carriage 
to  entreat  me  to  drive  to  Penge  without  a  moment's 
loss  of  time.    *'  There  is  a  fight  going  on  between  the 


180  THE  FIGHT. 

police  and  some  of  our  men,"  they  said;  '^  and  if  you 
ask  them,  they  will  go  away  quietly,  drunk  or  sober." 
The  duty  was  plain — so  we  did  as  we  were  bidden. 
On  reaching  Penge,  I  saw  two  policemen  who  were 
terribly  hurt ;  but  the  mob  had  dispersed,  and  seven 
men  had  been  taken  prisoners.  After  we  had  done 
what  we  could  for  the  wounded  police,  they  told 
me  that  about  fifty  navvies,  who  were  all  more 
or  less  intoxicated,  had  formed  a  ring,  and  a  few 
began  boxing.  Two  women  became  frightened, 
and  insisted  upon  a  policeman  entering  the  ring 
to  stop  the  fight.  The  policeman,  a  brave  but 
prudent  man,  argued,  very  discreetly,  that  "  if  they 
were  let  alone  they  would  soon  be  tired  of  fight- 
ing under  a  burning  sun,  and  would  fall  asleep  and 
wake  up  ashamed ;  but  that  if  a  staiF  were  laid  about 
them,  they  would  be  roused  into  tigers."  But  the 
women  were  not  to  be  persuaded  by  logic,  and  insisted 
on  his  encountering  the  crowd  of  combatants.  At  first 
they  defeiTcd  to  authority  so  far  as  to  remove  their 
ground  to  some  distance ;  but  upon  the  policeman's 
second  attack,  truncheon  in  hand,  with  which  vigorous 
blows  were  dispensed  right  and  left,  the  natural  result 
occurred — the  boxing  men  made  common  cause  against 
an  armed  foe.  A  second  policeman  came  up,  and  fought 
desperately,  but  both  were  compelled  by  the  numbers  to 
retreat  to  the  house  of  the  first.  The  crowd  followed, 
and  its  leaders  broke  in.     Women  and  children  were 


THE  FIGHT.  181 

carefully  put  aside,  even  in  that  moment  of  fury,  mad- 
dened as  they  were  by  intoxication;  but  their  rage 
with  men  who  had  struck  them  with  bludgeons  knew 
no  bounds.  It  was  a  matter  of  thankful  astonishment 
that  the  two  policemen  escaped  with  their  lives  on  that 
unhappy  day.  In  the  thick  of  the  fight,  two  or  three 
gentlemen  came  up  with  a  fresh  force  of  police ;  and 
to  the  gentlemen  the  principal  men  concerned  in  the 
fight  surrendered  themselves,  whilst  the  rest  dispersed 
to  their  various  quarters. 

About  an  hour  later,  the  men  of  the  Corps  came 
from  the  different  villages  where  they  lodged  for  their 
usual  afternoon  roll-call  at  the  Crystal  Palace  Office. 
Hearing  rumours  of  the  recent  fight,  they  stopped  to 
inquire  particulars ;  and  at  this  moment  a  fresh  de- 
tachment of  police  arrived.  These  had  heard  that  two 
of  their  fraternity  had  been  murdered ;  and  supposing 
that  the  men  around  them  were  the  guilty  combatants, 
began  knocking  down  and  taking  prisoners  promis- 
cuously. 

Our  coachman  begged  me  to  allow  him  to  drive 
amidst  the  crowd  to  the  Crystal  Palace,  as  a  restraint 

to  violence  on  both  sides.     Eichard  J 's  wife  was 

nearly  fainting.  I  bade  him  place  her  in  the  back  of 
the  phaeton  and  walk  by  the  side,  for  which  he  re- 
ceived three  heavy  blows  between  his  shoulders  from 
an  official  truncheon,  probably  under  its  owner's 
notion  that  Richard  was   taking  an   unwarrantable 


182  THE  FIGHT. 

liberty.  I  saw  the  northern  navvy's  dark  eyes  flash 
fire,  and  his  arm  uplifted  to  return  the  blow.  One 
entreaty  made  it  drop  quietly  by  his  side.  Kemp 
stopped  the  ponies  for  me  to  shake  that  hand  heartily 
with  a  "  Thank  you,  Eichard  !  I  honour  you  from  my 
soul.  If  Lord  Raglan  has  got  Sebastopol  by  now,  I 
hold  you  the  greater  man  at  this  moment ;  for  God's 
Word  says,  ^  He  that  ruleth  his  spirit  is  greater  than 
he  that  taketh  a  city.'  " 

"  I'd  have  borne  a  dozen  blows  for  this,"  said  he, 
heartily. 

A  sort  of  captain  amongst  the  men,  named  John 
Thorndale,  who,  from  his  bright,  cheerful  spirits, 
strength,  and  manliness,  had  a  leader's  place  always 
accorded  him,  at  this  moment  dragged  the  policeman 
who  was  collaring  him  to  the  side  of  the  carriage,  and 
appealed,  "  You  know  me :  speak  for  me !  You 
know  I  never  drink  or  fight." 

"  I  know  it,  John,  and  will  answer  for  you  in  every 
court  in  England ;  but  for  pity's  sake  go  quietly  now 
with  the  policeman,  if  he  will  not  take  my  word  for 
your  character.  The  worst  will  be  a  night  in  prison. 
I  will  have  you  freed  to-morrow  j  and  if  you  begin  a 
fight  now,  there  will  be  bloodshed." 

Just  then  a  great  accession  of  navvies  poured  down 
from  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  from  the  Crystal  Palace 
gates,  with  cries  of  "  Down  with  the  police ! — rescue 
the  prisoners ! — punish  the  police  well ! " 


THE  FIGliT.  183 

The  police  stood  to  their  arms  gallantly  enough, 
for  the  numbers  against  them  were  overwhelming,  and 
the  men  not  unjustly  enraged.  The  moment  was 
come.  We  drove  between ;  and,  like  Nehemiah,  in 
that  moment's  pause  ^*  I  prayed  to  the  God  of  hea- 
ven." Then,  turning  to  the  crowd  of  some  five  hun- 
dred men  with  already  upraised  missiles,  I  said,  ^^  The 
first  man  who  throws  a  stone  is  my  enemy.  We 
will  have  no  more  fighting  to-day,  by  God's  help ! 
Haven't  we  had  enough  of  it  already — two  policemen 
nearly  killed,  and  seven  of  our  poor  fellows  perhaps 
to  be  transported  for  life,  or  hanged,  if  the  wounded 
men  die.  Go  back  and  give  over,  for  my  sake — for 
the  sake  of  that  God  of  peace  of  whom  I  have  so  loved 
to  speak  with  you." 

A  brief  silence  followed,  and  then  some  remon- 
strated :  ^'  Do  you  go  away,  ma'am.  We  wouldn't 
hurt  you  for  anything ;  but  it  is  not  fair  to  hinder  us 
paying  off  the  p'leece." 

"  I  shall  not  go  away  till  you  are  gone,  if  I  stay 
here  till  midnight.  You  will  not  murder  men  before 
my  eyes,  T  know." 

^'We  don't  v»ant  to  vex  you,"  said  two  or  three 
spokesmen ;  "  hit  we  will  set  our  mates  free." 

"  They  shall  be  free,"  I  said — "  these  innocent 
men  whom  we  have  seen  taken  prisoners  before  our 
eyes.  If  there  be  justice  in  England,  they  sliall 
be  free  to  go  with  you  to  the   Crimea.      I  pledge 


184  THE  FIGilT. 


myself  not  to  rest  till  it  is  done.  Will  you  trast 
me?" 

There  was  a  pause;  and  then  a  short  conference 
between  leading  spirits  was  followed  by  loud  shouts 
of  "Trust  ye  to  the  world's  end!" 

"  Then  prove  it  by  going  back  within  the  Crystal 
Palace  gates." 

In  five  minutes  I  was  left  alone  with  the  police  and 
with  the  prisoners. 

The  police  were  very  grateful,  saying,  "YouVe 
saved  a  deal  of  bloodshed."  They  promised  me  to 
deal  gently  with  the  prisoners,  and  willingly  then 
gave  me  back  John  Thorndale,  for  whose  good  cha- 
racter I  could  answer.  It  was  "  worth  a  king's  ran- 
som "  to  see  his  fine  yoimg  face  brilliant  with  smiles 
of  joyful  gratitude  at  finding  himself  free  again,  and 
to  hear  the  shouts  of  the  crowd  as  we  restored  to  them 
their  favourite.  We  met  the  superintendent  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill,  collecting  fresh  forces,  but  assured 
him  that  the  precaution  was  unnecessary.  He  ex- 
pressed his  surprise  and  gratitude. 

An  hour  after,  Mr  Chalmers,  who  had  just  then  re- 
turned from  Essex,  drove  back  with  me  to  see  that  all 
was  still  peaceful.  They  welcomed  him  with  warm 
affection,  and  told  the  story  of  the  afternoon  with  great 
point ;  adding,  "  A  lady's  gentle  voice  do  more  with 
us  than  forty  thousand  p'leece."  They  were  all  in 
high  good-humour,  shouting,  "  God  bless  the  peace- 


THE  FIGHT.  185 

maker! "  till  their  kindly  voices  must  have  been  tired ; 
and  then  they  were  ready  to  listen  seriously  to  Mr 
Chalmers'  service. 

We  thanked  God  heartily  for  the  peaceful  close  of 
that  day;  nor  could  we  help  saying  likewise — 
Honour  to  the  noble  natures,  who,  with  the  passion  of 
revenge  at  its  height,  and  with  overwhelming  num- 
bers to  insure  for  the  moment  its  fearful  success, 
ebbed  back,  like  a  quiet  tide,  at  the  earnest  entreaty 
of  a  woman  whom  they  held  their  friend,  and  ful- 
filled the  Divine  command,  "  In  malice  be  ye  chil- 
dren." 


CHAPTER   XiV. 

3mu  ltot^^rfeo0Jr* 


"  The  manliest  man  that  you  saw  going  in  ."i  ragged  coat,  did  yea 
reverence  him  1  Did  you  so  much  as  know  that  he  was  a  manly  man  afc 
all,  till  his  coat  grew  bettw  t " 


In  tlie  midst  of  the  general  enthusiasm  which  wrought 
up  the  feelings  of  this  crowd  of  men,  on  the  occasion 
just  described,  into  an  unusual  state  of  excitement, 
eflfervescing  in  great  good-humour,  as  just  before  it 
had  been  on  the  point  of  exploding  in  indignant 
wrath  and  rage,  there  was  no  lessening,  but  rather 
an  increase  of  their  respectful  courtesy  of  demeanour. 
Universal  was  their  condemnation  of  one  poor 
man,  from  whom  I  heard  the  only  word  which  ever 
reached  my  ears  from  the  lips  of  a  working  man 
which  could  possibly  be  construed  into  an  expression 
of  disrespect.  A  half-intoxicated  navvy,  amidst  the 
general  overflow  of  kindly  feeling,  committed  him- 
self by  saying  three  or  four  times  over,  "  She's  my 
sister ! " 

"  What  do  you  mean,''  cried  the  indignant  by- 
standers, "  by  daring  to  call  the  lady  your  sister ! 
Say  it  again,  and  we'll  teach  you !  Take  care  you 
don't  get  torn  in  pieces !  "  And  strong  arms  were 
seizing  the  unfortunate  culprit  to  bear  him  outside 
the  ring.     Fearing  a  measure  of  "Lynch  law,"  I 


190  HUMAN  BROTHEEHOOD. 

entreated  to  be  allowed  to  settle  the  question  for 
myself,  and  requested  that  the  man  should  be  per- 
mitted to  come  near  the  carriage  for  this  purpose. 
When  he  stood  by  my  side,  I  said  to  him,  "  Every 
sober,  honest  Englishman  is  my  brother,  and  I  am 
proud  to  call  him  so.  But  I  have  never  had  a 
drunkard  for  my  brother — and  1  never  will." 

The  poor  man  had  sense  enough  left  to  be  ashamed, 
and  he  slunk  quietly  away,  amidst  a  murmur  of  satis- 
faction and  approval  of  the  verdict  from  the  crowd. 
The  next  day  he  made  a  respectful  apology,  adding, 
with  genuine  frankness,  "  From  this  day  forward,  I'll 
try  to  be  one  of  the  ^  sober  Englishmen  ; '  I  think  I'm 
an  honest  one  already." 

It  may  be  well  to  state  here,  that  by  the  time  the 
first  ship  sailed  for  the  Crimea  we  had  been  able  to 
prove  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  magistrate  of  the 
police  court,  to  whose  kindness  and  jonsideration  we 
felt  much  indebted,  that  the  men  who  were  taken 
prisoners  under  our  eyes  were  innocent  of  the  previous 
fight,  and  accordingly  they  were  all  set  free,  to  re- 
sume their  position  in  their  Corps. 

On  the  morning  of  the  21st  of  June,  a  message 
reached  me  at  the  early  hour  of  half-past  five,  to  say 
that  the  men  were  to  embark  at  Blackwall  that  day. 

By  seven  o'clock,  M L and  I  entered  the 

Crystal  Palace  grounds,  and  remained  till  nine, 
taking  leave  of  the  men.     I  thanked  them  from  my 


HUMAN  BROTHERHOOD.  191 

heart  for  their  forhearance  the  previous  day,  and  for 
their  generous  courtesy  and  kindness  in  yielding  to 
my  entreaty  for  peace ;  adding,  that  I  believed  it  to 
be  a  distinct  answer  to  my  prayer  to  Almighty  God 
in  that  moment  of  terrible  suspense. 

After  shaking  hands  with  each  man,  I  took  my 
leave,  but  was  requested  by  an  official  to  return,  to 
hear  the  subject  of  a  communication  which  had  been 
passing  from  the  men  to  the  foremen  of  the  Corps. 
It  was  to  express  the  united  wish  of  these  warm  and 
grateful  hearts  that  I  "  should  go  out  with  them  to  the 
Crimea,  to  keep  them  straight,  and  to  be  with  any  of 
them  who  should  die  out  there,  in  their  last  hours. 
And  they  humbly  begged  to  know  if  they  might  take 
the  best  place  on  board  for  me,  and  pay  for  it  amongst 
themselves." 

It  went  to  my  heart  to  refuse  to  do  for  them  what 
God  might  enable  me,  on  that  distant  shore  of  danger 
and  death.  But  when  I  explained  to  them  the  sacred 
home  duties  which  withheld  me  from  leaving  England, 
they  recognised  them  at  once  as  paramount  claims, 
and  satisfied  themselves  by  asking  for  a  promise  of 
one  more  farewell  visit,  on  board  their  ships, — a 
promise,  1  need  scarcely  say,  cheerfully  given  and 
fulfilled. 

Meantime,  many  letters  from  them  followed  me 
into  Essex,  a  few  extracts  from  which  are  now 
given : — 


192  HUMAN  BEOTHERHOOD. 

"  Grebnhive,  June  23. 
"Deae  Feiend, — I  hope  you  will  excuse  the  liberty 
I  have  taken  in  writing  to  you ;  but  my  name  is  John 

W .      We  should  be  most  happy  to  see  you  on 

board  with  us  once  more  before  we  do  sail.  The 
same  God  that  protected  Daniel  in  the  lion's  den,  and 
Jonah  inside  of  the  whale,  can  save  me  if  I  put  my 
trust  in  Him ;  and  I  hope,  if  we  should  not  meet  again 
in  this  world,  I  hope  we  shall  meet  in  that  upper  and 
better  region,  where  troubles  will  be  unknown.  I 
must  conclude ;  and  may  God  guard  you  is  the  hourly 
prayers  of  John  W until  death." 

"Monday,  June  24, 1855. 

"My  Dear  Friend, — I  write  to  tell  you   that 

John  S and  me  James  C ,  went  on  board 

ship  on  Saturday  last,  and  we  saw  that  old  gentle- 
man and  that  young  lady  on  our  ship,  and  we  were 
both  happy  to  see  them  ;  and  we  should  be  happiest 
to  see  you,  my  dear  friend,  for  there  is  much  talk  of 
you  on  our  ship  amongst  us  men.  Those  little  books 
that  you  gave  to  us  we  find  very  acceptable  in  pass- 
ing many  an  idle  hour  away,  but  not  in  idleness  or 
mocking  God,  but  in  sincerity  and  truth.  And  I 
hope  it  will  please  the  Almighty  God  to  bring  us 
back  safe  to  our  dear  friends  again,  and  fill  us  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake.  Amen. 
We  will  write  again  as  soon  as  we  get  to  the  Crimea, 


HUMAN  BROTHERHOOD.  193 

and  tell  you  the  truth  of  the  country,  if  it  please  God 
to  spare  us. — So  no  more  at  present  from  your  ever 

well-wishing  friends,  "  John  S . 

"  James  C ." 


"  Grbenhithe,  June  25,  1855. 

"  Dear  Madam, — I  have  just  received  your  kind 
letter,  and  am  very  thankful  for  your  kindness.  I 
will  endeavour  to  follow  your  directions,  and  keep 
from  drinking  and  swearing ;  and  I  do  not  forget  the 
little  prayer,  but  use  it  every  night  and  morning. 
Dear  Madam,  I  hope  you  will  not  be  offended  with 
me  that  I  have  enclosed  the  stamp,  but  when  I  con- 
sider the  expense  and  trouble  you  have  already  been 
at,  I  think  that  it  is  very  wrong  to  put  you  to  any 
more  expense,  or  cause  you  any  more  trouble  than  we 
can  possibly  help.  I  will  now  conclude  with  the  best 
wishes  of  all,  and  the  sincere  gratitude  of  yours,  &c., 

"  Thomas  B— w— r." 

*' June  25, 1855. 

"  Kind  Lady, — It  is  with  the  greatest  pleasure, 
mixed  with  sorrow,  that  I  write  these  few  lines  to 
you,  trusting  you  are  well  both  in  body  and  soul,  as 
it  leaves  me  in  body — but  I  cannot  say  I  am  happy ; 
but  I  am  determined  not  to  rest  till  I  am. happy 
ill  Christ  my  Saviour.  But  this  I  am  not  able 
to  do  of  myself;  but  I  trust  in  the  Lord  for  help,  and 

N 


194  HUMAN  BROTHERHOOD. 

I  am  convinced  I  shall  not  trust  in  vain.  I  am  sorry 
to  tell  you  that  I  am  afrai.l  we  have  not  many  pray- 
ing men  at  present  in  my  gang ;  but  I  think  we  have 
a  few.  But  if  I  have  to  travel  the  road  alone,  by 
God's  help  I  will  do  so.  But  I  will  try  to  do  all  I 
can  to  form  a  few  together  to  serve  God.  May  God 
help  us ;  and  let  your  kind  prayers  intercede  for  us. 

"  Kind  Friend, — Tt  is  my  desire  that  you  will  be  so 
kind  as  to  take  five  slililings  every  month  towards 
anything  tliat  may  be  sent  out  to  promote  religion 
among  us  sinful  navvies.  May  the  Lord  bless  you 
and  me ;  and  if  we  never  more  meet  in  this  world, 
may  we  meet  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  there  to 
praise  Him  for  ever  and  ever.  I  shall  feel  thankful 
for  a  few  lines  from  your  kind  hand.  I  remain  your 
humble  servant,  "  John  L ." 

"  Simoom  Ship,  Jiinell,  1855. 

"  Dear  Friend, — I  was  very  glad  to  hear  that 
letter  read  that  you  sent  for  all  the  men  who  were  on 
board.  We  gave  three  cheers  for  you,  and  three  cheers 
for  Mr  Wakefield  as  read  it  to  us ;    and  I  was  very 

much  pleased  to  hear  it,  and  so  was  John  R and 

Jacob  K J  so  were  we  all  very  much  pleased  to 

hear  it.  They  said  that  it  was  the  best  letter  they 
ever  heard  in  their  lives.  They  all  send  their  best  re- 
spects to  you,  and  that  pleased  me  most  that  ever  I 
have  been  since  I  have  been  in  the  Corps.    I  felt  more 


English  Hearts. 


p.  195 


HUMAN  BROTHERHOOD.  195 

rejoiced  than  for  some  time  before  with  them  all ;  for 
I  am  sm-e  jou  would  have  liked  to  have  been  there  to 
have  seen  them.  I  know  that  I  should  have  liked  to 
have  seen  yon  there.  So  I  must  conclude  with  all 
our  kind  loves  to  you  for  that  letter  you  sent  for  us 
all.     The  writer  is  Thomas  Diblet." 

On  the  27th  of  June,  my  sister,  G.  V.,  and  I  left 
Essex  early  in  the  morning  for  Blackwall,  where  we 
imagined  the  ships  would  be  anchored  which  were 
to  carry  the  "  first  battalion  "  (as  it  was  now  called) 
of  the  i^rmy  Works  Corps  to  the  Crimea.  But  on 
arriving  at  Blackwall  we  found  that  the  ships  had 
dropped  down  the  river  to  Greenhithe ;  and  accord- 
ingly we  followed  them  as  quickly  as  we  could.  The 
only  ship  within  sight  from  Greenhithe  was  the 
Lanffdale,  where  a  large  number  of  the  men  were 
simply  kept  in  floating  barracks,  until  the  Simoom 
was  made  ready  for  sailing.  Cheery  was  the  welcome 
which  pealed  in  hurrahs  from  the  side  by  which  our 
little  boat  approached  the  ship.  But  a  large  number 
had  gone  on  shore,  as  they  did  not  expect  us  that 
day.  "  And  how  are  we  to  tell  them  they've  missed 
you?"  said  one  and  another 5  ^^  Couldn't  ye  come 
again  to-morrow?" 

We  promised  to  telegraph  to  the  friends  with 
whom  we  were  staying  in  Essex  that  we  should  not 
return  to  them  till  the  next  day ;  and  then  the  men 


196  HUMAN  BROTHERHOOD. 

proposed  our  having  "a  cottage-reading"  between 
the  decks  before  parting.  One  of  the  men  of  business 
connected  with  the  Corps  came  on  shore  with  us,  and 
watched  with  evident  interest  every  fresh  meeting  we 
had  with  the  men,  who  were  returning  In  small  com- 
panies. Looking  into  a  public-house,  he  said,  ^^  There 
are  thirty  of  our  men  in  a  large  sitting-room  here ; 
will  you  be  afraid  of  going  in? — they  seem  pretty 
sober." 

This  was  true ;  the  poor  fellows  rose  up  to  welcome 
us,  and  joined  earnestly  in  a  short  prayer.  Every 
man  of  the  thirty  went  back  to  the  ship,  sober,  almost 
immediately  afterwards.  When  we  passed  through 
the  outer  room  the  landlord  and  landlady  thanked  us 
respectfully. 

Just  as  we  had  seated  ourselves  In  the  train  at 
Greenhithe,  a  ^^  down-train  "  arrived  with  a  large 
number  of  the  men  who  had  been  to  London  on  leave. 
It  made  my  heait  glow  to  see  their  faces  brighten 
with  sudden  surprise  and  joy,  and  to  hear  the  ex- 
clamations of  '^  Why,  Joe,  yere's  our  kind  lady — and 
there  be  her  sister — bless  'em! — Why,  where  ever 
did  they  fall  from?"  The  open  window  of  our 
carriage  was  suddenly  darkened  with  a  shoal  of  hands 
stretched  out  for  a  farewell  shake,  to  the  evident 
astonishment  of  two  young  gentlemen  who  sat  op- 
posite to  us,  enjoying  the  satisfaction  of  their  very 
delicate    primrose- coloured    gloves,    which    certainly 


HUMAN  BROTHEHHOOD.  197 

were  never  intended  to  come  in  contact  with  such 
brawny  hands  as  those  of  our  honest  working  men. 

The  next  morning  we  went  again  to  Greenhithe, 
and  had  a  solemn  and  yet  delightful  hour  on  board 
the  LangdaJe,  We  visited  the  Barvaclzjpm^e^  off 
Blackwall,  on  our  way  back.  The  navvies  manned 
the  rigging  like  sailors,  and  welcomed  us  with  hearty 

cheers.     John  E 's  and  Thomas  Dibley's  were 

the  first  faces  I  recognised.  It  was  the  last  time 
I  ever  saw  poor  Dibley's  grateful,  beaming  smile. 
He  and  John  had  bought  a  charming  little  travel- 
ling hand-bag  for  me,  chosen  by  Thomas  himself. 
It  was  recognised  by  a  shopman,  with  whom  we 
were  in  the  habit  of  dealing,  as  I  held  it  in  my 
hand  a  few  days  afterwards ;  and  he  told  me  that  he 
had  never  had  greater  difficulty  in  '''•  giving  satisfac- 
tion ;  "  "  the  navvy  was  so  particular  about  the  pattern 
of  the  snap  and  steel  chain !  "  That  bag  has  a  sacred 
value  about  it  now. 

Thomas  H ,  a  Roman  Catholic,  whom  we  saw 

the  first  evenmg  that  a  party  of  the  Corps  had  come  to 
Beckenham  for  lodgings,  shewed  me  that  his  Testa- 
ment was  safe  in  his  waistcoat-pocket.     One  of  the 

numerous  '^  John  W 's  "  was  there,  and  said,  "  I 

was  glad  to  have  joined  the  Corps  before  that  day  you 
shook  hands  with  them  in  the  Crystal  Palace  grounds 
— I  should  have  been  proud  for  a  year  past  to  know 
as  I  was  coming  in  for  it." 


198  HUMAN  BROTHERHOOD. 

"  Why,  are  you  one  of  my  old  friends,  John?  I 
had  looked  upon  you  as  a  stranger  just  arrived." 

"  Not  quite  a  stranger,  ma'am.  In  the  hard  frost  at 
the  beginning  of  last  year,  you  stopped  me  in  the  road 
leading  through  Beckenham,  and  asked  if  I  was  ill  or 
hungry.  I  suppose  I  looked  bad  enough,  for  I  had 
slept  on  the  snow  the  night  before,  and  hadn't  broke 
my  fast  for  twenty-four  hours.  So  you  took  me  to  a 
shop  or  two  for  something  to  eat,  and  ga-ve  me  a 
shilling.  It  set  me  up  like  a  fortune.  I  never  wanted 
from  that  day.  Don't  know  but  I  should  have 
been  lost  without  it.  But  what  I  cared  most  for  was 
your  speaking  to  me  firstj  ye  see,  and  saying  you 
knew  navvies  didn't  like  to  beg — they  only  wanted 
to  work,  and  then  to  eat.  I  didn't  know  your  name, 
but  I  prayed  God  I  might  see  your  face  again, — and 
I  knew  it  in  a  minute  up  at  the  Crystal  Palace." 

James  C again  asked  me  to  be  kind  to  his 

good,  young,  orphan  sister  j  and  two  or  three  left  their 
children  under  our  care,  making  an  allowance  for  their 
maintenance  to  respectable  persons  in  Beckenham. 

Many  pleasant,  hopeful  words  were  said,  and  then 
the  sound  of  their  parting  cheers  rang  till  we  reached 
the  shore. 

The  next  morning's  post  brought  a  letter  from  the 
chief  officer  of  the  Corps,  conveying  an  earnest  request 
from  the  men  that  I  would  join  them  in  their  first 
Sabbath  service  on  board  ship,  as  they  were  not  to 


HUMAN  BROTHBRHOOD.  199 

sail  till  the  next  day.  The  officer  urged  that  it  might 
have  a  permanently  advantageous  effect  upon  the  men, 
by  teaching  them  to  set  a  value  upon  their  newly 
appointed  chaplain's  services. 

Accordingly,  on  Saturday  evening,  L and  I 

went  to  London.  We  felt  some  difficulty  about  going 
to  and  from  the  ship  on  the  Sabbath-day.  To  go  by 
the  railroad  we  felt  was  impossible :  it  might  be  set- 
ting an  example  of  Sabbath  excursions  to  those  who 
might  possibly  recognise  us,  without  any  opportunity 
being  afforded  of  explaining  our  object  and  errand. 
The  steamboat  had  similar  disadvantages.  We  then 
determined  to  engage  a  cab  for  the  day ;  and  to  tell 
the  cabman  to  put  up  his  horse,  and  then  to  accompany 
us  on  board  for  Divine  service.  I  may  as  well  mention 
now,  that  when  we  returned  to  London,  this  cabman 
expressed  himself  as  so  much  pleased  with  his  Sabbath 
that  he  begged  to  be  allowed  to  return  half  the  fare, 
and  seemed  almost  uneasy  at  being  made  to  pocket  it. 

The  chief  officer  of  the  Corps  and  two  others  cour- 
teously came  on  shore  to  receive  us,  and  row  us  back 
to  the  ship.  Mr  Hall  ward,  the  chaplain,  arrived 
soon  afterwards,  and  manifested,  then  and  ever  after- 
wards, the  most  cordial  sympathy  and  benevolent  satis- 
faction with  the  strong  tie  of  friendship  between  the 
men  committed  to  his  spiritual  care  and  those  who  had 
first  sought  their  immortal  welfare. 

He  read  the  Morning  Prayers  impressively,  con- 


200  HUMAN  BROTHERHOOD. 

clading  with  an  earnest  and  excellent  address. 
"  Never,"  said  he,  after  it  was  over,  '^  have  I  preached 
to  such  a  congregation — so  attentive — so  evidently 
absorbed  in  the  subject." 

The  men  stood  the  whole  time ;  William  W 

and  Henry   H p    scarcely   withdrew   their  eyes 

from  him  for  a  moment. 

Soon  after  the  service  was  over,  Mr  Hall  ward 
retired  to  his  cabin,  leaving  us  for  an  hour  of  last 
words  with  the  men.  Then  we  left  them,  followed  by 
their  quiet  blessings  from  the  ship-side. 

*'  On  board  of  the  ship  Langdale, 
June  28,  1855. 

"  Dear  Friend, — I  am  striving  to  take  your  advice. 
Every  day  your  words  have  taken  a  great  impression 
on  my  mind.  With  the  help  of  God,  I  shall  write  to 
you  when  I  get  to  the  Crimea,  if  ever  I  get  there,  and 
you  v/ill  send  a  word  of  instruction  to  me,  and  I  will 
promise  you  that  I  will  persevere  in  reading  God's 
holy  Word.  As  for  drinking  and  swearing  I  have 
left  off  that. — From  your  true  and  obedient  friend, 


"  On  board  the  Simoom,  June  30. 

"  Dear  Madam, — We  are  full  now — aboard  of  thef 
Simoom — and  ready  to  be  off.  We  think  a  great  deal 
of  Beckinghani  and  you ;  I  have  long  cause.  I  pray 
God  bless  all  your  teaching  to  us.     I  saw  some  of 


HUMAN  BROTHERHOOD.  201 

those  little  prayers  that  you  gave  to  the  men  that  last 
Sunday  we  were  there,  and  I  was  glad  to  see  some  of 
them  reading  them ;  and  I  am  glad  to  see  some  are 
anxious  to  read  them.  I  will  write  and  tell  you  of 
our  journey,  and  hope  it  will  please  God  that  we  may 
land  safe  in  the  foreign  land.  We  shall  keep  a  little 
company  together,  for  we  have  already  got  together 
about  twenty  of  our  companions  to  sing,  pray,  and 
read ;  and  I  hope  that  from  to-night  we  shall  be  quiet- 
like to  ourselves,  at  a  corner  of  the  deck.  With  my 
kind  love  to  you  and  to  Mr  Charmer,  good  bye,  and 
God  bless  you  all. — Your  sincere  friend, 

"  Thomas  Dibley. 
"  Jacob  K joins  in  all  with  John  and  me." 

"  Dear  Friend, — I  received  your  kind  letter,  and  I 
am  glad  to  see  you  have  got  my  order  to  lay  by  in 
the  savings  bank  for  me ;  and  I  find  the  little  books 
you  gave  me  very  handy.  We  sang  the  189th  hymn 
before  dinner,  and  after  that  we  read  a  chapter — Mark 
ix. ;  and  a  great  many  of  our  fellow  mates  came  and 
joined  in  with  us ;  but  I  am  sorry  to  say,  yesterday 
they  would  not  join  in  with  me ;  so  I  sat  down  and 
read  my  book  by  myself;  but  I  don't  think  it  will  be 
hard  to  get  them  now,  as  I  have  got  them  once. 
They  say  they  would  sooner  join  in  hymns  than 
swearing.  So  no  more  at  present  from  your  sincere 
friend,  Charles  R ." 


202  HUMAN  BROTHERHOOD. 

"  Grayesbnd,  June  29,  1855. 

^'  Dear  Friend, — Pardon  me  for  addressing  you  so 
freely;  but  your  kindness  to  me  has  convinced  me 
you  are  a  true  friend,  and  I  most  humbly  thank  you 
for  granting  my  request.  You  may  depend  I  will 
attend  to  the  prayer  with  which  you  so  kindly  pre- 
sented me.  I  am  most  happy  that  I  should  have  the 
honour  of  receiving  a  letter  from  you.  I  will  write 
to  you,  and  tell  you  if  I  arrive  in  safety  at  my 
journey's  end.  Until  then,  believe  me  to  be  your 
obedient  servant,  JoHN  B ." 

"July  2, 1855. 

"  My  Dear  Friend,— I  did  hear  that  letter  read 
to  us,  as  you  wished  it  to  be,  on  Sunday  before 
prayers ;  and  we  enjoyed  ourselves  quite  well  in  sing- 
ing of  hymns  and  reading  our  Bibles  and  books,  on 
Sunday ;  and  I  heard  many  of  our  men  say,  *  I  wish 
that  our  kind  lady  was  with  us  to-day ;  she  would 
keep  us  all  together  and  peaceable  more  than  any 
officers  could.'  So  no  more  at  present  from  your  dear 
friends,  James  C and  John  S ." 

^^  God  bless  us  all,  my  dear  Friend." 

"  At  Sba,  Jul?/  1, 1855. 

"Dear  Friend, — I  send  these  few  lines  to  you, 
with  my  sincere  thanks  for  the  trouble  you  are  taking 
for  us  poor,  sinful  men.     Dear  Friiend,  this  is  the  first 


HUMAN  BROTHERHOOD.  203 

Lord's  Day  we  have  had  at  sea.  May  the  Lord 
enable  me  and  all  of  us  to  give  our  hearts  unto  Him, 
and  give  us  His  holy  Spirit,  to  lead  us  in  the  way  of 
all  truth,  and  to  teach  us  the  meaning  of  His  holy 
Word,  so  that  we  may  come  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
and  find  pardon  for  all  our  sins,  so  that  we  may  be 
received  by  Him  into  glory.  May  God  bless  you, 
ana  may  we  meet  in  heaven ! 

«JohnL ." 

*'  If  I  can,  I  will  send  you  a  few  lines  from  Gib- 
raltar." 


CHAPTER   XV 


•*  One  standeth  not  as  oa  a  hill,  beckoning  to  another  to  foUcnf ; 
CaijetoU  up  hand  in  Land,  and  carry  eacb  other's  burdenB," 


During  the  remainder  of  the  time  of  my  absence 
fiom  home,  my  sister  daily  visited  the  new  candidates 
for  admission  to  the  Corps,  who  arrived  in  considerable 
numbers  each  morning  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  from 
divers  parts  of  the  country.       On  our  way  home, 

L and  I  drove  to  the  Crystal  Palace,  and  found 

my  sister  seated  in  a  sort  of  a  chair  of  stones  which 
the  navvies  had  built  up  for  her,  on  a  little  green  hil- 
lock within  the  Crystal  Palace  grounds.  About  two 
hundred  men  were  standing  around,  receiving  Testa- 
ments from  her,  and  listening  to  her  gentle  words  of 
instruction  and  counsel  with  rapt  attention. 

On  the  previous  day  she  had  been  pained  by  that 
which  never  reached  her  ears  on  any  other  occasion 
of  intercourse  with  these  working  men — the  sound  of 
an  oath.  The  man  who  used  it  was  slightly  intoxi- 
cated. Murmurs  arose  of  "  Shame,  shame !  to  let  a 
lady  hear  you  swear !  and  so  kind  as  she  is,  to  come 
amongst  us  like  this  ;  "  and  then  followed  threats  of 
condign  punishment,  and  the  man  was  forcibly  borne 
outside  the  ring   for  the  purpose.      My  sister   was 


208  BKOTHERLY  LOVE. 

obliged  to  insist  upon  taking  tlie  offender  under  hex 
protection ;  and  then  solemnly  and  earnestly  spoke  to 
him,  and  to  the  bj-standers,  upon  the  sin  against 
God  of  taking  His  holy  name  in  vain ;  and  of  making 
a  prayer  the  channel  for  a  curse  instead  of  a  blessing. 
On  Sunday  night  we  heard  that  the  Langdale  was 
to  sail,  either  on  Monday  or  Tuesday,  with  the  re- 
mainder of  the  "  battalion."     M and  I  went  early 

on  Monday  morning  to  Greenhithe,  and  visited  the 
ship.  William  W 's  face  was  the  first  to  wel- 
come us.  He  had  been  transfei-red  to  the  last  ship, 
why,  we  knew  not,  unless  it  were  that  the  kind  provi- 
dence of  God  had  so  ordered  it,  to  enable  us  to  see 
him  once  again,  and  to  have  the  joy  of  hearing  from 
his  own  lips  that  he  had  begun  in  earnest  to  '^  seek 
Jesus,  and  to  hate  sin."  Whilst  my  sister  spoke  to 
the  men  about  those  wonderful  words  in  the  1 7th  verse 
of  the  22d  of  Revelation,  "  The  Spirit  and  the  bride 
say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come. 
And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever 
will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely,"  I 
noticed,  amongst  the  earnest  eyes  around,  none  more 

earnest  than  William  W 's.    When  M said, 

"  I  wish  you  all  to  carry  to  the  Crimea  two  thoughts 
from  those  words  —  Come,  and  say.  Come,"  he 
rejoined  in  a  low  voice,  "  I  tried  to  say,  ^  Come,'  a 
little,  yesterday.  I  got  together  a  bunch  of  the  men, 
as  we'd  no  parson  aboard  this  ship,  and  read  ray 


BROTHERLY  LOVE.  209 

Bible  and  good  books  with  them,  and  then  lots  more 
came  round  us,  and  enjoyed  themselves  in  listen- 
ing." 

The  next  time  I  heard  of  William  was  by  a  letter 

from  Mr  Ilallward.     He  wrote  that  William  W 

desired  him  to  communicate  from  himself,  with  great 
grief,  that  he  had  once  been  overcome  in  drinking 
the  Crimean  brandy,  in  the  great  heat  of  their  arrival 
at  Balaklava  and  march  to  the  camp ;  and  had  bitterly 
rued  the  consequences.  lie  could  not  be  easy,  he 
said,  till  I  knew  of  this  fall;  but  that,  since  then,  he 
had  been  enabled,  by  God's  grace,  to  walk  more  like 
a  Christian,  and  believed  that  God  would  help  him  to 
do  so  more  and  more.  He  had  a  long  illness  shortly 
afterwards,  during  which  time  Mr  Hallvvard's  unre- 
mitting labours  in  the  hospital  were  of  great  value  and 
comfort  to  our  poor  friend.  His  constitution  never 
recovered  the  shock.  He  went  to  Scutari  a  few  months 
later.  Whether  he  died  there,  or  on  his  way  home,  I 
have  never  succeeded  in  tracing.  But  it  is  all  one  to 
him,  now,  whether  his  body  lies  amongst  thousands  of 
his  countrymen,  in  their  distant  burial-ground  upon 
the  Turkish  shore;  or  was  dropped  alone  into  the 
ocean  caves.  We  have  an  earnest  trust  that  he  "  held 
on  his  way/'  I  know  that  he  spoke  truth  when  he  said 
to  me,  "  I  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of 
sinners." 

"  When  Thou  hast  overcome  the  sharpness  of 
0 


210  BROTHERLY  LOVE. 

death,  Thou  didst  open  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all 
believers." 


The  four  men  who  had  been  acquitted  at  the  police 
court  of  all  concern  in  the  Penge  fight,  were  on  board 
the  Langdah;  and  they  expressed  hearty  gratitude 
for  the  efforts  which  had  been  made  in  their  favour. 

All  the  Army  Works  Corps  men  on  board  listened 
with  earnest  interest  to  the  story  of  Zaccheus,  in 
the  19th  chapter  of  St  Luke's  Gospel;  and  when 
the  words  had  been  dwelt  upon,  ^'  He  is  gone  to  be 
guest  with  a  man  that  is  a  sinner,"  and  the  question 
was  urged,  "  Will  not  you  ask  him  to  be  your  guest 
— now — this  very  day — and  for  ever?"  many  a  fer- 
vent '^  Yes"  was  uttered  with  a  choking  voice. 

Just  before  taking  leave,  we  discovered  that  all  the 
books  which  we  had  sent  for  the  use  of  the  three 
ships  had  been  divided  by  mistake  between  the 
Simoom  and  the  Barrackjjore,  The  men  frankly 
confessed  that  they  gambled  all  day  long  for  want  of 
any  other  occupation. 

We  tried  to  point  out  the  evils  and  consequent 
miseries  of  gambling,  and  then  asked,  "  If  we  send 
you  down  some  games  for  your  amusement,  would 
you  pledge  yourselves  that  there  should  be  no  betting 
connected  with  them  in  any  way?"  This  pledge  was 
earnestly  given,  and  rigidly  kept  during  the  whole 
voyage.     Of  this  fact  one  of  the  officers  kindly  in- 


BEOTHEKLY  LOVE.  211 

lormed  us,  by  letter,  oh  the  arrival  of  the  Langdale  at 
Balaklava,  adding  an  excellent  account  of  the  conduct 
of  the  men. 

On  our  way  home  from  the  ship  we  made  a  little 
detour  to  the  London  Bridge  Station,  and,  at  the 
Arcade  Bazaar,  purchased  boxes  and  boards  for  chess 
and  backgammon,  games  of  "  railways  and  coaches," 
Chinese  puzzles,  puzzles  made  of  "  Scripture  pictures'' 
and  historic  scenes,  and  last,  but  greatest  in  favom*, 
as  we  afterwards  learned,  a  huge  Noah's  ark. 

In  the  course  of  the  evening  a  still  larger  supply 
of  similar  treasures  was  sent  down  by  the  benevolent 
members  of  the  firm  of  Mead  and  Powell,  who  had  been 
informed  of  the  object  of  the  purchase  at  their  bazaar, 
and  generously  added  this  handsome  present  for  the 
men  of  the  Army  Works  Corps  on  board  the  La7ig- 
dale^  with  a  letter  expressive  of  their  kind  wishes  for 
the  welfare  of  the  men,  and  the  success  of  the  Corps. 

Early  the  next  morning  Mr  Chalmers'  coachman 
took  the  packages  to  the  ship  just  before  she  sailed. 
He  arranged  with  the  men  that  the  Scripture  puzzles 
should  be  kept  for  the  Sundays'  amusement,  when  tliey 
were  tired  of  reading ;  but  that  the  other  games  should 
bo  put  away  on  Saturday  night,  and  not  brought  out 
again  until  Monday  morning.  A  universal  assent 
was  given;  and  this  word  of  honour  was  never  broken. 


On  the  14th  of  July  I  visited  the  men  who  had 


212  BROTHERLY  LOVE. 

been  taken  prisoners  at  the  fight  at  Pciige.  They 
were  then  under  confinement  in  Horsemonger  Lane 
gaol.  As  I  entered  the  court  where  they  were  stand- 
ing, the  first  momentary  expression  of  surprise  and 
pleasure  which  lighted  up  their  countenances  gave 
place  to  a  look  of  shame  and  distress,  and  five  out  of 
the  seven  sobbed  like  children.     Those  were  the  five 

guilty  men.      They  all  told  me  that  Thomas  H 

had  taken  no  part  in  the  fight,  and  was  a  steady 

man ;    and  that  young  William  K ,   who   had 

been  taken  up,  at  eight  o'clock  the  evening  after  the 
fight,  upon  suspicion,  was  absent  from  Penge  at  the 
time  it  took  place,  and  could  call  upon  the  tent- 
maker  who  was  employing  him  that  day  to  prove  an 
alibi.  No  sort  of  request  was  made  to  me  to  help  them 
in  their  great  strait  5  but  when  I  promised  to  retain 
an  able  counsel  on  their  behalf,  their  surprise  and 
gratitude  were  truly  affecting.  It  is  only  right  to 
mention  here  the  generous  conduct  of  Mr  Yokes,  the 
landlord  of  a  public-house  at  Sydenham,  with  whom 

Thomas  H and  his  wife  and  child  had  lodged 

for  some  weeks.  Three  times  he  gave  half  a  sove- 
reign for  a  pleader  for  him  in  the  police  court,  and 
supported  the  helpless  Avife  and  child  until  he  could 

obtain  permission  to  stand  bail  for  H ,  and  thus 

set  him  at  liberty  to  return  to  his  work.     Thomas 

H was  acquitted  at  the  trial. 

I  visited  them  constantly  at  this  time,  and  met 


"UKIVBESITT 

BROTHEELY  LO^^  *»  ^  *  -  -rCV^^ 


Uim^'W 


with  the  most  polite  consideration  from  the  benevo- 
lent and  sensible  governor  of  the  gaol,  and  from  his 
like-minded  son.  They  both  said  the  men  behaved 
admirably,  and  were  evidently  honest,  straightforward 
vrorking  men,  very  unlike  the  majority  of  their  pri- 
soners. They  added  that  every  night  and  morning 
the  poor  fellows  took  out  their  cards  of  prayer,  and 
knelt  down  to  pray  the  words  together,  and  then  read 
their  books. 

One  day  the  poor  men  expressed  deep  regret  for 
having  brought  me  into  so  much  trouble:  "  To  think 
now  of  your  name  being  talked  over  as  coming  to 
see  prisoners,  and  they  your  own  men,  who  had 
Testaments  and  all  given  'em.  And  how  it  '11  be  said, 
this  comes  of  them  Bible-readings — ending  of  such 
a  way — drinkings,  fightings,  and  prison! — and  no 
account  taken  of  the  lots  as  kep'  steady." 

I  told  them  that  this  last  thought  had  also  occur- 
red to  me,  and  had  troubled  me;  and  that  I  had  been 
thinking  of  the  triumph  which  Satan  had  got  on  the 
20th  of  June,  until  it  had  made  me  quite  miserable. 
But  then  it  had  come  into  my  mind,  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  might  yet  bring  a  greater  triumph  out 
of  it  all  to  Himself,  by  giving  them  his  Holy  Spirit, 
to  change  their  hearts  and  make  them  children  of 
God  in  that  gaol ;  and  then,  whether  they  left  it  for 
liberty  or  for  another  prison,  they  would  walk  out 
of  it  Christ's  freed-men !     Then  I  stopped,  and  said, 


214  BROTUERLY  LOVE. 

"Which  would  you  like  to  get  the  triumph — the 
devil,  who  wants  to  get  you  into  his  power,  to  tor- 
ment you;  or  Jesus  Christ,  wbo  loved  you,  and  died 
for  you,  and  lives  again  to  love  you  and  make  you 
happy  for  evermore?" 

From  the  most  hardened  man  amongst  them,  the 
man  said  by  the  police  and  the  witnesses  to  have  been 
the  leader  and  the  fiercest  in  the  fight — from  the  lips  of 

William burst  forth,  with  a  sob  and  a  gush  of 

tears^  the  words,  "  Jesus,  Jesus — only  Jesus  " — in  a 
tone  which  I  can  never  recall  ^\ithout  believing  that, 
then  and  there,  that  man  made  his  choice  ''  whom  he 
would  serve."  Nor  has  he  ever  given  me  cause  to 
doubt  it  since. 

'*  Then  will  I  praise  my  Lord  and  Saviour, 
That  angels  shall 
Admire  man's  fall, 
When  they  shall  see  God's  greatest  glory  grow 
Where  Satan  thought  to  root  out  all." 

There  was  in  the  manners  and  expressions  of  each 
a  humble  penitence ;  and  they  were  all  deeply  con- 
scious that  it  was  the  curse  of  drunkenness  which  had 
brought  them  into  this  great  evil  and  trouble.  These 
men  shuddered,  in  their  sobriety,  at  the  remembrance 
of  the  ferocity  of  their  drunkenness,  more  than  at  tlie 
prospect  of  years  of  penal  labour  and  imprisonment ; 
heavily  as  that,  too,  pressed  upon  their  freedom-loving 
natures. 

Oh  !  what  can  be  done  to  rid  Britain  of  this  beset- 


BKOTHEIILY  LOTE.  215 

ting  sin  of  her  working  classes  ?  V/Ill  no  great  soul 
give  to  this  subject  serious  thought  and  persevering 
effort?  Is  there  no  ^^  wise  man"  who  will  stretch  forth 
his  hand  to  "  save  a  city  "  or  a  nation  by  his  wisdom 
in  suggesting,  and  his  energy  in  carrying  through,  a 
moral  or  legislative  cure  for  this  corroding  disease? 
Will  the  day  never  come  when  we  shall  be  able  to 
give  our  working  brother.;  their  holiday,  their  one 
little  green  isle  here  and  there  upon  a  sea  of  toil, 
without  its  ending  by  numbers  of  them  drhiking 
themselves  into  ferocity  or  idiotcy? 

It  cannot  be  that  our  working  men  are  incapable  of 
higher  pleasures.  Men  who  have  such  great  hearts — 
and  the  heart  of  an  Englishman  is  the  home  of  every 
generous  and  noble  feeling,  when  that  "  house  is  set 
in  order "  by  the  grace  of  God — must  also  have  a 
capacity  for  refined  enj  oyment.  Gentlemen  of  England, 
these  working  men  are  "the  raw  material"  from  which 
you  have  been  moulded.  They  are  bone  of  your  bone, 
and  flesh  of  your  flesh.  The  same  sea-girt  land  has 
given  them,  as  their  birthright,  the  independence  of 
your  o^vn  island  spirit.  The  same  breezes  of  ocean 
from  every  side  have  brought  them  their  like  bodily 
and  mental  health  and  f^'eshness.  The  same  time- 
honoured  institutions  have  given  them  your  own 
steadfastness  of  character,  your  chivalrous  loyalty, 
yom-  even-handed  justice,  and  your  love  of  liberty 
without  license. 


210  BROTH EliLY  LOVE. 

The  same  open  Bibles  have  spread  an  atmosphere 
of  light  before  eyes  that  could  not,  as  before  those 
amongst  you  that  would  not,  study  its  sun-bright 
letters,  nourishing  a  higher  sense  of  honour,  a  purer 
standard  of  morality,  a  larger  generosity  of  heart,  and 
a  grander  nobility  of  soul,  than  can  be  found  in  any 
other  nation  in  civilised  Europe. 

Such  men  are  worth  an  effort — the  effort  of  a  life- 
time— to  deliver  them  from  the  enthralment  of  one 
fatal  habit,  which  deprives  them,  for  the  period  of  its 
power,  of  every  good  gift  of  God  to  lieart  and  intel- 
lect. Save  such  men  from  crowding  our  prisons  and 
overflowing  our  penal  settlements.  True  it  is,  while 
the  world  standeth,  that  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  one  and  only  remedy  for  the  disease  of  sin  in  any 
form.  In  the  peace  of  a  free  pardon  through  the  blood 
of  His  cross  ;  in  the  gladness  of  a  free  salvation  won 
by  His  merits ;  the  heart  of  man  is  set  at  liberty 
from  its  toil  after  vain  or  sinful  excitement,  to  con- 
secrate every  power  to  the  service  and  glory  of  that 
Saviour  who  has  redeemed  him  ;  and  has  made  him 
^'  unto  his  God  a  king  and  a  priest."  But  the  loving 
wisdom  of  the  Eternal  Father  has  ordained  that 
through  the  channel  of  human  affection  these  waters 
of  life  should  mainly  flovr.  Few  souls  have  ever  been 
threatened  into  a  Christian  life.  How  many  have 
been  loved  into  it  will  never  be  known  until  the 
Becrets  of  all  hearts  sliall  be  revealed. 


BROTHERLY  LOVE,  217 

Remember  these  men  are  your  brothers.  "  Love  as 
brethren:  be  pitiful,  be  courteous."  The  working 
man  values  your  courtesy  above  your  liberality, 
and  your  friendship  most  of  all.  Let  him  feel  that, 
whatever  may  be  the  difference  between  you,  occa- 
sioned by  the  accidents  of  birth,  education,  and 
fortune,  you  and  he  are  friends.  Shew  him  your 
interest  in  his  welfare,  your  desire  for  his  im- 
provement, your  care  for  his  happiness,  and,  above 
all,  your  trust  in  his  honour.  But  let  him  feel  he  can 
give  back  as  much  as  he  gains.  Tell  him  your  trials. 
Let  him  share  your  hopes.  Let  him  give  you  his 
sympathy.  You  will  find  it  as  generous  and  delicate 
as  your  own.  Allow  him  the  glorious  equality  of 
being  able  to  repay  friendship  with  friendship.  God 
gives  it  to  you,  and  will  you  not  give  it  to  your 
brother  ? 

It  was  a  noble  sentim^ent  and  a  great  truth  which 
Judge  Talfourd  died  in  uttering — "  That  which  is 
wanted,  to  hold  together  the  bursting  bonds  of  the 
different  classes  of  this  country,  is  not  kindness,  but 
SYMPATHY." 


CHAPTER   XVL 

Safe  at  |0me. 


-'  No  more  away  we  '11  go. 
No  more  from  Him  we  '11  sever ; 
From  our  wand'ring  woe,  in  the  vale  below. 
We  rest  with  Him  lor  ever. 
In  His  world  of  light,  i^od  His  kingdom  briglilj 
We  've  a  borne  and  a  hearty  welcome." 


Amongst  the  varied  sources  of  interest  and  pleasure 
occasioned  by  the  gathering  of  the  Army  Works 
Corps,  by  no  means  the  lightest  was  the  return  of 
some  of  our  old  friends  who  had  formerly  worked  at 
the  Crystal  Palace,  with  news  of  many  more  whom 
they  had  chanced  to  meet  again  in  their  wanderings. 
Of  some,  indeed,  we  heard  things  that  deepened  our 
anxieties,  and  painfully  quickened  our  prayers  for 
them.  But  of  others  there  were  tidings  which  glad- 
dened our  hearts.  There  was  one,  especially,  to  whom 
the  words  could  truly  be  said,  "  I  thank  my  God  upon 
every  remembrance  of  you,  for  your  fellowship  in  the 
gospel  from  the  first  day  until  now."     There  was  a 

time  when  we  all  believed  that  William  G was 

dead.  And  truly  was  he  then  mourned  by  all  who 
had  known  him  in  Beckenham.  He  had  been  seized 
with  cholera  in  Deptford,  in  the  autumn  of  1854; 
and,  on  partially  recovering,  had  left  the  place.  This 
I  had  heard  on  my  return  from  a  visit  in  the  north  of 
England ;  and  every  effort  to  trace  him  failed.  We 
did  not  know  where  his  mother  lived,  so  as  to  be  able 


222  SAFE  AT  HOME. 

to  inquire  of  her  what  his  fate  had  been.  Great  was 
our  joy,  therefore,  some  months  afterwards,  when  a 
letter  from  that  excellent  woman  announced  that  her 
son  was  still  living,  although  he  had  been  long  and 
seriously  ill.  After  his  recovery  he  worked  as  a 
farm-servant  for  some  time,  and  was  in  the  habit  of 
gathering  together  his  fellow  men-servants,  in  an 
evening,  to  read  the  Word  of  God.  His  master  said 
he  was  a  most  faithful  and  diligent  servant. 

When  he  was  able  to  write  again,  his  letters  were 
a  real  refreshment  to  us.  In  one  he  wrote, — "  There 
are  many  changes  in  this  life.  I  pray  that  every 
change  may  find  us  better,  more  humble,  more  love 
to  our  neighbour,  to  our  own  soul,  and,  above  all,  to 
our  God ;  that  when  old  age  come  upon  us,  we  may 
not  have  to  look  back  upon  a  misspent  life.  I  often 
think,  when  I  come  to  look  back  upon  only  a  few  days 
even,  there  are  many  things  which  I  might  have  done 
that  would  have  been  more  to  the  good  of  my  soul, 
or  to  the  honour  of  my  God ;  but  when  I  look  back 
over  my  whole  life,  I  could  oftentimes-  cry,  and  I 
think  sometimes  I  could  lay  down  with  Elijah,  and 
say,  ^  It  is  enough ;  now,  0  Lord,  take  away  my  life, 
for  I  am  not  better  than  my  fathers.' 

"  Dear  ma'am,  please  to  send  me  a  few  lines  to  say 

how  your  dear  sister  is,  and  how  James is. 

Perhaps  you  may  think  it  curious  of  me  offering  you 
half  a  sovereign  for  James  j  so  I  will  tell  you  my 


SAFE  AT  HOME.  223 

reasons ;  because  I  know  you  have  done  a  great  deal 
for  him,  and  I  thought  you  would  lay  it  out  better 
for  him  than  he  would  for  himself,  as  I  have  thought 
him  rather  thoughtless  that  way.  I  hope  by  me  so 
saying  I  shall  not  hurt  your  feelings  towards  him, 
for  I  have  no  very  particular  reasons  for  so  saying ; 
and  even  if  I  had,  we  all  have  faults.  I  know  I 
have  many.  So  now  I  must  conclude  witli  say- 
ing you  must  continue  to  pray  for  me,  that  I 
may  daily  increase  in  grace  and  wisdom ;  and  God 
ever  bless  and  prosper  you  in  all  you  lay  your 
hand  to." 

Again,  in  Febniary  1855,  he  writes, — "  I  was  very 
glad  that  dear  Captain  Vicars  is  still  alive,  and  in 
good  health  and  spirits,  amid  all  the  war  and  pesti- 
lence to  which  he  has  been  exposed  ;  and  I  pray  God 
he  may  still  be  spared  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
good  of  souls.  Dear  ma'am,  I  very  often  pray  for 
him,  I  loved  him  so  well.  And  I  pray  God  to  bless 
all  your  labours  of  love  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  for 
poor  souls,  and  to  bless  you  and  all  that  belong  to 
you  abundantly.  I  am  sorry  to  hear  that  good  Mrs 
Elliott  died  of  the  cholera  last  summer.  She  was  an 
excellent  kind  woman,  and  I  know  you  thought  a 
great  deal  of  her ;  and  her  poor  family  must  miss  her 
very  much.  But  I  am  glad  you  say  she  died  so  full 
of  love,  and  trust,  and  peace  in  Jesus. 

"  I  often  think  how  great  a  blessing  It  was  to  me 


224  SAFE  AT  HOME. 

that  I  came  to  Beckenliam.  They  were  happy  days 
indeed.  But  I  shall  have  their  like  again  and  better 
still  in  heaven." 

"Jfay  11, 1855. 

"Dear  Madam, — T  received  your  kind,  inter- 
esting, though  sorrowful  letter — and  I  do  as  it  were 
share  a  part  of  the  sorrow.  Although  I  knew  little 
of  Capt.  Vicars,  he  was  a  man  that  I  loved  very 
greatly — and  I  hope  he  is  now  with  his  Saviour 
whom  he  so  loved.  It  seems  quite  a  pity  that  such  a 
young  man,  and  one  that  promised  to  be  so  useful  for 
the  comfort  and  eternal  welfare  of  mankind,  should 
be  cut  off  in  the  very  prime  of  life — but  we  must 
resign  to  the  will  of  God.  He  alone  knows  what 
is  best  for  us.  It  must  indeed  be  very  trying  to  those 
who  loved  him  so  much.  And  who  can  tell  (if  he 
lived  any  time  after  he  received  his  deadly  wound) 
what  thoughts,  prayers,  and  troubles  would  cross  his 
mind  about  them;  not  but  that  I  believe  he  would 
resign  himself  to  the  will  of  God.  I  have  oftentimes 
thought  of  him  and  prayed  for  him  and  I  hope  I  shall 
meet  him  and  you  and  your  aged  and  honoured  father 
and  the  young  lady-nieces  and  Mr  and  Mrs  Chalmers, 
and  many  more  for  whom  I  would  pray  particular 
(nay  indeed  all  the  world)  in  heaven  at  last  where 
sorrow,  parting  and  death  shall  be  no  more — where 
we  shall  praise  God  to  all  eternity.     So  no  more  at 


SAFE  AT  HOME.  226 

present  irom  your  humble,  affectionate   son  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  your  most  humble  servant, 

u  Wm.  G /' 


One  evening,  in  the  spring  of  1855,  I  went  into 

Mary  E 's  cottage.    Half  hidden  behind  the  door 

sat  two  travellers,  who  had  just  come  to  Beckenham  to 
seek  for  lodgings,  as  I  gathered  by  a  glimpse  at  their 
dusty  clothes  and  baggage.  On  turning  to  look  at 
them  again,  admonished  by  the  expression  of  Mary's 
eye,  I  recognised  Thomas  Paget's  broad,  bright  face, 
and  hearty  smile ;  and  welcomed  him  and  his  good 
wife  back  to  Beckenham  right  gladly.  "  She  knowed 
me  again,"  said  he,  half  aside  to  Mary,  '^  and  I 
thought  she  'd  forgotten  me ;"  and  for  a  few  minutes 
his  face  was  hidden  on  his  arms,  as  he  leant  them  on 
the  table.  Then  came  out,  in  broken  sentences,  his 
recollections  of  his  life  in  Beckenham ;  and  how 
"  God  had  kept  him  from  drinking  them  away  after 
he  had  left,  and  made  him  and  his  wife  keep  up 
praying,  and  reading  their  Bible,  and  church-going." 

Very  shortly  after  this  he  became  seriously  ill ; 
and  although  we  had  able  medical  advice  for  him,  all 
remedies  failed  to  arrest  the  disease.  He  slowly  fell 
away  from  his  great  size  and  strength,  and,  at  last, 
gave  back  his  spirit  to  his  God. 

P 


226  SAFE  AT  HOME. 

He  was  like  a  little  child  in  that  illness,  so  grate- 
ful and  simple.  He  knew  our  steps  as  we  drew  near 
the  cottage,  and  would  often  spend  hours  by  the  win- 
dow, watching  for  the  mere  sight  of  any  of  us  in  the 
village  street.  His  failing  appetite  was  only  gratified 
by  little  dinners  cooked  at  the  Ilectory,  and  flowers 
from  our  garden  were  his  peculiar  joy.  He  would 
arrange  them  carefully  in  a  little  jar,  and  have  them 
placed  on  a  table  where  he  could  constantly  see  them. 
A  pillow  which  v/as  given  him  to  raise  his  aching 
head  from  the  hard  mattress,  ''  made  him  feel  a' most 
in  heaven,"  he  said,  "  so  easy  and  comfortable-like." 

One  day  his  wife  sent  me  word  that  he  was  much 
worse,  and  was  not  likely  to  live  many  hours.  As  I 
took  leave  of  him  that  night,  not  expecting  to  see  him 
again  in  this  world,  I  was  quite  overcome.  There  was 
something  ever  to  be  remembered  in  the  mingled  ex- 
pressions of  his  countenance  at  that  moment.  Sorrow 
to  see  another's  sorrow,  it  was  not  in  his  nature  to 
avoid  feeling  ;  but  this  was  almost  swallowed  up  by 
his  extreme  surprise  and  pleasure  at  finding  the  value 
set  upon  his  simple,  honest  friendship.  Kindness  he 
had  looked  for,  but  not  to  have  his  death  mourned ; 
and  it  was  plainly  an  exquisite  enjoyment  to  him, 
which  I  thank  God  he  had,  although  he  was  going  so 
soon  afterwards  to  inherit  fulness  of  joy  for  ever. 

It  was  surprising  to  see  how  his  spiritual  imder- 
standing  grew  and  was  strengthened  as  his  physical 


SAFE  AT  HOME.  '227 

power  failed.  The  Bible  was  his  great  delight ;  '^  and 
Mr  Chalmers,"  he  said,  "  made  it  all  as  clear  as 
glass  to  him." 

He  bore  his  great  sufferings  with  unmurmuring 
patience,  and  prayed  his  favourite  little  prayer  (the 
Soldier's  Prayer)  oftentimes  a  day.  The  last  evening 
that  1  saw  him  he  was  speechless ;  but  when  I  said, 
"  Paget,  dear  friend,  if  you  know  that  the  Lord  Je^us 
is  with  you,  so  that  you  fear  no  evil,  raise  your  hand 
for  a  sign,"  he  raised  it  at  once,  and  waved  it  joy- 
fully. 

In  the  course  of  the  night  he  recovered  his  speech 
enough  to  say  to  his  wife,  as  she  cooled  his  hot  head 
with  fresh  water,  "  Who  will  wash  me  next,  Lyddy  ?" 

"  Who  do  you  mean,  Tom  ?" 

"  God  !"  he  replied;  "quite  clean,  in  the  blood  of 
Jesus." 

Soon  after  that  he  went  to  join  the  company  of 
those  who  wear  white  robes,  "  made  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb." 


Shortly  after  the  Langdale  had  sailed,  and  with  her 
the  last  men  left  of  the  First  Battalion  of  the  Army 
Works  Corps,  I  left  home  for  some. weeks,  under- 
standing that  the  numbers  of  the  Corps  would  not  be 
increased  until  the  experiment  of  sending  the  first 
detachment  was  found  to  be  successful. 


228  SAFE  AT  HOME. 

Early  In  August,  however,  fresh  advertisements 
appeared  for  working  men  of  various  trades,  and  rail- 
way men  amongst  them,  to  form  a  second  battalion. 

My  sister  drove  to  the  Crystal  Palace  grounds 
every  morning  to  converse  with  the  men,  to  distri- 
bute books,  and  to  take  down  their  names  for  Testa- 
ments. She  found  all  were  obliging  and  respectful, 
and  many  of  them  full  of  warm  and  grateful  feeling. 

As  we  were  obliged  to  spend  that  autumn  by  the 
sea-side,  we  fixed  upon  Brighton,  as  the  coast  which 
was  the  most  easy  of  access  to  and  from  Beckenham 
and  the  Crystal  Palace;  and  twice  a-week  we  visited 
the  new  candidates  for  the  Corps  in  the  Crystal  Palace 
grounds.  Through  the  kindness  of  Sir  Joseph  Pax- 
ton's  chief  agent  in  London,  Mr  Wragge,  a  telegra- 
phic message  summoned  us  to  the  Tliames  whenever 
another  ship  received  its  complement  of  men  for  the 
Crimea,  so  that  my  sister  and  I  had  the  satisfaction 
of  exchanging  parting-words  with  each  man,  and  of 
giving  to  all  a  Testament  as  a  last  remembrance, 
accompanied  generally  by  a  Cottage  Hymn-book.  A 
large  number  of  prayer-books  were  supplied  by  Go- 
vernment to  the  chaplains,  for  distribution  amongst 
the  men.  Both  the  Bible  and  Religious  Tract  Socie- 
ties were  most  liberal  in  making  several  grants  of 
Testaments  and  hymn-books  to  us  for  the  same  pur- 
pose, and  in  allowing  us  to  purchase  many  more  at 
half  price. 


SAFE  AT  HOME.  229 

A  large  number  of  the  men  applied  to  me  to  receive 
their  money-orders,  as  had  been  done  for  those  who 
went  out  in  the  first  detachment.  This  arrangement 
now  became  rather  a  formidable  matter,  the  receipts 
averaging  about  £500  a-month.  I  should  have  found 
myself  very  unequal  to  the  calculation,  but  for  the 

able  help  of  L ,  who  undertook  ^'  to  keep  the 

book"  for  me,  and,  assisted  by  her  sister,  to  corre- 
spond with  those  relatives  of  the  men  to  whom  allow- 
ances were  made.  The  correspondence  with  the  men 
themselves  about  this  time  began  to  average  about 
fifty  letters  a-Aveek  from  the  Crimea. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  month  of  September,  two 
young  men  of  the  name  of  B wrote  from  Wands- 
worth gaol  to  request  me  to  pay  a  fine  of  £10  for 
them,  to  set  them  free  to  go  to  the  Crimea.  They 
were  in  gaol  for  having  been  found  in  a  riotous  state 
of  intoxication. 

Before  answering  this  application,  I  wrote  to  in- 
quire particulars  of  the  governor,  to  whose  firmness, 
discrimination,  and  benevolence — those  high  qualities 
which  alone  can  fit  a  man  for  such  a  post — it;  is 
unnecessary  for  me  to  attempt  to  do  justice.  Mr 
Onslow  replied  that,  from  what  he  had  seen  and  heard 
of  the  young  men,  he  believed  they  were  deserving  of 
the  effort,  although  they  had  been  guilty  of  an  excess 
which  had  brought  upon  them  their  present  punish- 
ment    Of  course  the  money  was  sent  forthwith,  and 


230  SAFE  AT  HOME. 

few  things  gratified  me  more  than  the  anxiety  mani- 
fested by  these  young  men  to  justify  the  confidence 
which  had  been  reposed  in  them,  both  in  their  steady 
conduct  from  that  time,  and  in  securing  to  me  the 
repayment  of  the  sum  lent,  by  having  their  money- 
orders  drawn  out  in  my  name,  so  that  I  should  receive 
the  £10  owing  to  me  before  laying  by  any  money  for 
them  in  the  Savings  Bank.  In  consequence  of  the 
pressure  of  business  at  the  office,  a  delay  of  some 
days  occurred  before  this  could  be  done.  Meantime 
one  or  other  of  the  brothers  wrote  almost  daily  to 
assure  me  that  "  they  had  not  forgotten  the  arrange- 
ment, nor  never  would  forget  the  kindness." 

A  navvy  named  John  F.,  for  whom  my  sister  had 
advanced  a  sum  of  money  under  similar  circumstances, 
r?hewed  equal  anxiety  until  she  was  repaid,  and  intro- 
duced her  on  board  ship  as  ^'  this  here 's  the  lady  that 
paid  two  pounds  ten  shillings  to  get  me  out  of  prison." 

There  were  many  artisans,  in  this  battalion,  of 
superior  education  and  character,  whose  conversa- 
tions greatly  interested  us ;  but  as  no  notes  of  these 
interviews  were  written  down  at  that  time,  owing  to 
the  pressure  of  the  work  amongst  them,  nor  in  the  still 
busier  winter  months,  we  are  afraid  of  trusting  our 
memories  now,  lest  the  details  should  not  be  verbally 
accurate.  On  our  return  home,  we  formed  an  ac- 
quaintance with  Mr  Hudson,  the  chaplain  who  went 
out  with  the  Third  Battalion  of  this  Corps,  whose 


SAFE  AT  HOME.  231 

manly  simplicity  of  character — not  forgetting  the 
physical  powers  which  had  led  him  up  Mount  Blanc 
by  the  direct  ascent — combined  with  his  earnest 
desire  to  promote  the  best  welfare  of  the  men  com- 
mitted to  his  charge,  qualified  him  well  to  be  a 
chaplain  to  the  navvies. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  we  heard  of  several 
deaths  which  deeply  affected  us,  amongst  men  whom 
we  had  known  in  the  First  Battalion.  Our  old  friend 
Thomas  Dibley  was  amongst  the  earliest  who,  in  his 
own  simple  language,  "  took  a  short  cut  to  heaven, 
without  going  round  by  old  England." 

He  and  several  others  had  met  regularly  for  prayer 
and  the  reading  of  God's  Word ;  and  in  navvy  phrase, 

'^  he  had  lived  according."     His  friend,  John  E , 

told  us  the  remainder  of  his  earthly  history. 

**  August  30,  the  Year  of  our  Lord  1855. 

"  From  John  R , 

"  Frenchman's  Hill,  Balaklava. 

"Dear  Friend  in  the  Lord — I  now  write  to  inform 
you  of  my  bodily  health,  and  spiritly  wellfare,  tho  I 
am  very  poorly  to  day,  but  I  thank  God  that  I  am 
spared  to  write  to  you,  hoping  this  will  find  you  all  in 
good  health  as  it  leaves  most  of  our  company ;  tho 
we  have  lost  some  men  very  sudden,  one  was  drowned 
on  the  15  of  x\ugust  by  coming  on  board  drunk,  when 
we  lay  in  the  water,  and  Eobson  was  took  ill  at  six 
oclock  in  the  morning  and  died  at  one,  and  we  have 


232  SAFE  AT  HOME. 

BIX  more  very  ill  at  the  presant,  and  I  hope  that 
God  will  remove  the  heavy  hand  of  death  from  ns, 
if  it  be  his  will,  and  if  not,  I  hope  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
will  receive  their  souls  to  glory  and  I  have  not  been 
landed  a  week  un  til  the  24th  and  we  have  3  more 
men  dead  in  the  same  way,  it  is  the  cholera.  Beloved 
Friend  in  the  Lord,  Thessalonians  ii.  3 :  finally, 
Brethren  pray  for  us,  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  may 
have  free  course  and  be  glorified,  even  as  it  is  with  you, 
and  that  we  may  be  delivered  from  unreasonable  and 
wicked  men,  for  all  men  have  not  faith  :  I  remember 
last  time  I  wrote  to  you  it  was  in  heaviness  of  spirit, 
but  I  thank  God,  through  the  faith  and  love  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  assistance  of  thi  holy  Spirit.  I  am 
able  to  say  this — 

"  Peace,  doubting  heart  :  my  God's  I  am ; 

Who  forra'd  me  raau,  forbids  me  fear  ; 
The  Lord  hath  call'd  me  by  my  name. 

The  Lord  protects,  for  ever  near  ; 
His  Blood  for  me  did  once  atone. 
And  still  he  loves  and  guards  his  own.** 

my  dear  friend,  I  will  tell  you  how  I  have  perseverea 
on  my  pasage  over.  Thomas  Dibley  and  I  formed  A 
reading  class  for  all  them  that  would  attend  it  we 
used  our  little  testaments  and  hymn  Books,  every 
day,  and  I  exhorted  a  text  every  night  and  prayed 
witii  them  and  sung  a  hymn  or  two,  and  these  is  the 
two  hymns  we  often  sang,  136. — 138,  and  I  have  felt 
the  Lord  to  be  very  precious  to  ray  soul,  and  we  had 


SAF!-:  AT  HOMK.  233 

a  many  members  and  1  trust  that  the  Lord  will  add 
hundreds  more  to  his  fold.  The  disease  is  raging, 
and  death  devouring  us  daily,  and  the  grave  is  swal- 
lowing us  up ;  there  is  four  men  died  of  it  today,  and 
the  same  almost  every  day.  Oh,  may  the  Lord  have 
mercy  on  their  souls,  and  I  am  still  determined  to 
pei*severe  in  the  love  of  Christ,  to  find  my  way  to 
heaven.  The  Lord  giveth  and  the  Lord  taketh  away ; 
for  it  has  pleased  the  Lord  to  take  my  dear  companion, 
Thomas  Dibley,  he  died  on  the  28  of  August,  his 
illness  was  very  severe ;  he  was  only  fifteen  hours  ill. 
I  \asited  him  every  opportunity,  he  said  he  was  in 
good  spirits  for  heaven.  I  begged  him  to  look  to 
Christ,  and  for  the  holy  Spirit  to  comfort  him,  in  the 
valley  and  shadow  of  Death,  and  this  is  his  dying 
words,  I  am  only  going  to  Him  a  little  bit  before 
you ;  as  he  grasped  my  hand  fast  in  his ;  and  Wil- 
liam Mason  is  dead,  we  have  lost  28  men,  from  the 
seven teciith  of  August;  this  is  on  my  Dear  friend 
Thomas  Dibley's  death : 

Here  are  afflictions,  and  trials  severe, 

Here  is  no  rest — here  is  no  rest ; 
Here  I  must  part  with  the  friend  I  own  dear. 

Yet  I  urn  Blest !  I  am  Blest. 

flow  sweet  is  the  promise  I  read  in  his  word. 
Blessed  ;u-e  they  wlio  have  died  in  the  Lord, 
Fcr  they  shall  be  called  to  receive  their  reward. 
There  is  rest,  there  is  rest. 

SO  God  Bless  you  all  at  the  present  and  J.  K is 


234  SAFE  AT  HOME. 

well,  and  I  will  write  as  soon  as  I  can  to  you  another 
letter  so  I  hope  and  trust  dear  honored  Lady  to  meet 
you  all  in  heaven  if  not  on  earth  Amen." 


Young  George  Willis  was  one  who  had  especially 
interested  me  in  the  summer.  He  was  always  ready 
to  open  the  carriage  door,  to  pull  oiF  his  neckcloth  as 
quick  as  lightning  to  dust  a  book  or  parasol,  if  it 
fell  to  the  ground,  or  to  render  any  other  of  those 
delicate  little  attentions  by  which  these  strong  men 
shew  their  sense  of  a  lady's  friendly  interest  in  them. 
One  day  I  had  noticed  the  earnestness  of  his  fine 
countenance,  as  he  listened ;  so  I  said  to  him  after- 
wards, "  George,  you  have  a  good  mother,  I  am  pretty 
sure?" 

"  Safe  enough !     Now,  who  could  have  told  ye  ?  " 

"And  I  think  you  are  a  good  son." 

"  Well !  you  are  out  there !  But  I  should  like  to 
be,  uncommon." 

"  How  do  you  mean  to  begin  ?  " 

"  Why,  by  leaving  my  money  order  with  you,  to 
allow  mother  something  handsome  out  of  it  5  and  if 
I  don't  live  to  come  back,  you  '11  please  give  it  all  to 
her." 

The  excellent  Rector  of  the  parish  where  George's 
widowed  mother  lived,  wrote,  in  the  course  of  the 


SAFE  AT  HOME.  235 

autumn^  to  express  the  poor  woman's  joy  in  the  duti- 
ful consideration  of  her  son,  and  the  hope  it  raised 
within  her  that  it  might  result  from  a  real  change  of 
heart  and  principle,  as  he  had,  previously,  been  some- 
what wild  in  conduct  and  neglectful  of  her  wishes. 

A  sorrowful  task  was  it,  indeed,  to  have  to  say,  in 
answer  to  that  letter,  that  her  son  was  dead.  "  The 
only  son  of  his  mother,  and  she  was  a  widow." 

Little  as  there  was  to  tell  her  of  what  had  passed 
between  us,  there  was  enough  for  Hope.  I  could  not 
even  write  his  name  without  remembering  that  those 
young  eyes  used  to  fill  with  tears  and  light  at  every 
description  of  a  Saviour's  dying  love.  I  besought 
her  to  reckon  on  seeing  those  tears  exchanged  for 
smiles  of  joy  in  Paradise  ;  for  surely  no  single  spark 
of  love  to  Jesus  ever  went  down  to  be  quenched  in 
everlasting  darkness. 

On  our  return  home  at  the  close  of  the  autumn, 
amidst  a  large  heap  of  letters  there,  we  found  one  from 
George,  written  whilst  he  was  in  the  full  vigour  of 
health,  some  weeks  before  his  death.  God  only  knows 
the  depth  of  thankful  joy  with  which  it  was  sent  to 
that  widowed  mother,  with  the  words  written  upon  it, 
without  one  haunting  doubt,  "  This  your  son  was 
dead,  and  is  ALIYE  again;   he  was   lost,  and    IS 


236  SAFE  AT  HOME. 

**  From  George  Willis,  Army  Works  Corps, 
''gone  to  the  Crimea." 

"  Dear  Madam — i  received  your  kind  letter,  and 
was  happy  to  hear  from  you.  Will  you  be  so  kind 
as  to  keep  my  order  and  to  let  my  Mother  Mary 
Willis  have  5s.  a  week  until  i  do  return,  if  it  do 
please  God  that  i  may.  if  i  never  do  return  again, 
it  T-'^  •  be  for  mother  Mary  Willis,  at  Queen's  Camel. 
Madam  you  can  let  my  Mother  have  it  as  you  please, 
and  I  thank  you  kindly  for  your  Prayer  and  Hymn- 
book  and  your  Blessing  that  was  in  your  kind  letter, 
and  God's  Blessing  as  well  Which  i  am  sure  of  if 
i  do  put  my  trust  in  Ilim,  and  i  hope  i  shall  for 
evermore,  i  hope  to  keep  your  Litel  prayer  con- 
stantly with  me  for  your  sake,  and  own  Saviour's 
that  shed  His  Blood  for  us. 

"  &  I  do  remain  your  obedient  servt. 

"  George  Willis." 


CHAPTEK    XVII. 


The  honest  man,  though  e'er  80 
I«  king  o'  men  for  a'  that/' 


Many  more  individual  instances  of  holy  living  and 
dying,  like  George  Willises,  and  Thomas  Dibley's, 
rejoiced  our  hearts,  and  filled  us  with  fresh  confidence 
in  Him  who  loves  to  hear  and  answer  prayer.  But 
the  statement  of  the  conduct  of  a  large  portion  of  the 
Corps,  after  they  had  landed  in  the  Crimea,  made  us 
anxious  and  disappointed.  Perhaps  it  was  too  much 
to  expect  of  men,  who  had  grown  up  to  the  prime 
of  their  life  in  the  enjoyment  of  entire  liberty  and 
independence,  the  freest  hearted  men  in  the  land, 
that  they  should  submit  to  the  rigid  discipline  of 
martial  law  as  well  as  if  they  had  been  trained  to  it, 
like  soldiers,  from  their  youth  up. 

One  of  their  stumblingblocks  was  the  order  given 
to  touch  their  caps  to  every  officer  who  passed.  They 
said  "  they  had  gone  out  to  work,  and  couldn't 
awhile  to  do  manners."  For  this  many  got  into 
trouble.  More  than  one  wrote  to  me,  "  The  men 
as  is  flogged  say  they  've  one  comfort ;  and  that  is 
that  you  are  not  here  to  see  how  they  're  served ; 
for  you  'd  wear  your  heart  out  with  fretting  about 


240  TRUE  AND  TRUSTY. 

them."  A  devoted  missionary  to  the  soldiers,  who 
had  heard  something  of  our  interest  in  the  Corps, 
told  me,  that  after  being  disappointed  by  the  general 
character  for  wildness  which  was  given  him  of  the 
men  after  their  landing  in  the  Crimea,  he  could  not 
but  be  moved,  when  he  went  amongst  them  during  a 
sort  of  extempore  emeuiej  and  said,  "  Is  this  the 
lesson  you  learnt  at  Beckenham?  what  would  she 
say  if  she  heard  of  it  ? ''  to  see  many  amongst  them 
shew  strong  emotion,  and  the  majority,  for  that  day 
at  least,  return  to  order. 


The  last  detachm^^^^  of  the  Third  Battalion  was 
selected  during  the  month  of  November.  A  scarcity 
of  work  at  that  time,  broUji,ht  candidates  for  the  Corps 
from  all  parts  of  the  country,  including  mechanics 
from  the  manufacturing  towns,  at  the  rate,  accord- 
ing to  the  Times  newspaper,  of  one  thousand  a-day. 
For  the  most  part,  these  men  brought  very  small 
means  for  iheir  support  during  the  time  of  waiting  on 
the  chance  of  be'ng  chosen ;  numbers  were  unable  to 
afford  lodgings,  and  therefore  slept  without  a  roof  over 
their  heads  in  the  damp,  cold  November  nights  ;  many 
were  almost  starving.  My  sister  and  I,  in  our  daily 
visits  to  them,  were  in  the  habit  of  buying  from  a 
pieman,  who  came  down  from  London  on  speculation,. 


TRUi:  AND  TliUSTY.  241 

from  one  to  two  hundred  "  hot  penny  pies/'  contain- 
ing a  marvellous  supply  of  nourishment  for  the  cost, 
or  coffee  and  bread  and  butter,  for  those  who  had 
had  no  meal  in  the  course  of  the  day. 

It  was  a  fine  thing  to  see  several  hundred  men  fall 
back,  leaving  a  ring  around  us  of  only  the  absolutely 
famished  men,  not  to  trespass  on  the  little  kindness, 
although  many  of  those  who  retired  had  had  but  one 
meal  in  the  course  of  the  day. 

The  first  day  that  we  discovered  this  terrible  state 
of  destitution,  I  had  only  a  few  shillings  with  me, 
and  with  a  keen  sense  of  "  what  are  they  amongst  so 
many?"  I  turned  to  one  of  the  men  by  my  side,  and 
said,  "  Will  you  take  the  money  and  lay  it  out  to  the 
best  advantage?  I  do  not  know  who  you  are;  but 
I  am  sure  you  will  deal  fairly  by  the  rest.  I  have 
never  yet  found  cause  to  doubt  the  honour  of  a  work- 
ing man." 

^'  Then  you  shan't  learn  mistrust  from  me,"  he  said. 
And  many  told  me  next  day,  how  good  and  faithful 
a  steward  he  had  been. 

At  this  time,  characters  were  required  of  the  men 
before  the  appointments  could  be  made.  And  the 
men  found  that  it  greatly  added  to  their  chances  oi 
success,  if  we  wrote  for  them  to  their  former  masters, 
and  when  satisfactory  testimonials  were  thus  received 
direct,  we  forwarded  them  to  the  chief  officer  engaged 
in  selecting  the  candidates.     And  here  again,  I  must 


242  TRUE  AND  TRUSTY. 

bear  m  j  testimony  to  Mr  Milner's  unwearied  patience 
and  coui'tesj,  not  to  us  only,  but  to  every  applicant 
who  obtained  an  interview  with  him. 

The  Eectory  was  now  transformed  into  an  office 
for  writing  for  and  receiving  characters  of  artisans  of 
all  descriptions,  and  of  railway  labourers.  The  men 
came  daily  from  half-past  nine  till  half-past  three. 
This  afforded  us  opportunities  of  speaking  with  each 
man  separately,  upon  his  interest  in  a  world  the 
fashion  of  which  will  not  pass  away.  There  were 
many  whose  names  I  should  mention  with  pleasure 
and  interest,  were  it  not,  that  from  their  present 
position  and  circumstances,  it  is  probable  this  record 
may  fall  into  their  hands,  in  which  case,  it  will  be 
enough  for  them  to  learn  that  they  are  all  remembered 
constantly  in  prayer  to  God,  that  we  may  meet  again 
to  praise  Him  throughout  a  blessed  eternity. 

To  provide  more  adequately  than  the  pitiful  allow- 
ance of  the  penny-pics,  for  a  few  of  the  most  distressed 
and  yet  superior  men  amongst  the  candidates — men 
who  would  rather  have  starved  than  begged — we 
noAV  boarded  about  a  score  of  them  at  a  time  at 
cottages    in    Beckenham,    until   their   appointments 

could  be  obtained.     Two  of  these  men,  James  P , 

and  John  M ,  I  shall  have  occasion  to  mention 

further.  It  was  during  this  winter — of  1855 — that 
we  first  became  fully  acquainted  with  the  character 
of  the  sergeant  of  police  at  Beckenham — a  man  who, 


TEUE  AND  TRUSTY.  243 

with  spirit  and  courage  equal  to  any  emergency,  has 
never,  in  any  mob  or  fight,  either  received  or  struck 
a  blow,  though  firm  and  strict  in  all  the  duties  of  his 
calling.  In  him,  every  honest  working  man  who 
comes  within  his  reach,  finds  a  friend ;  and  from  his 
gentle  and  benevolent  wife,  every  starving  man,  with 
almost  equal  certainty,  receives  a  slice  of  bread  and 
cheese,  or  a  basin  of  soup. 

Encouraged  by  his  admirable  Inspector*  in  every 
plan  for  the  moral  improvement  of  the  men  under  his 
charge,  and  influenced,  like  that  superior  officer,  by 
the  highest  of  all  motives  in  seeking  the  welfare 

of   his   fellow-creatures.    Sergeant    ,   with    his 

staff  of  police,  has  been  invaluable  in  preserving 
the  peace  and  good  order  of  Beckenham,  when  filled 
with  strangers  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  No 
collision  in  Beckenham  is  ever  dreamt  of  between  the 
wildest  of  the  navvies  and  our  policemen.  Even  in 
such  a  case  as  that  of  a  man  having  to  be  imprisoned 
for  misconduct,  a  pat  on  the  shoulder,  and  "  You  'd 
better  come  quietly  with  me,  my  man,"  is  found  to  be 
^'  the  utmost  rigour  of  the  law"  which  is  required  to 
be  exercised. 

During  this  time,  also,  we  experienced  constant 
civility  and  courtesy  from  the  policemen  employed 
about  the  Crystal  Palace  and  its  neighbourhood; 
who  all  took  a  cordial  interest  in  our  friendship  with 

•  F.  M.  MaUalieu,  Esq. 


244  TRUE  AND  TflUSrY. 

the  men  ;  and  latterly,  in  all  threatenings  of  disorder- 
liness,  seemed  to  look  upon  iis  as  a  sort  of  "  available 
contingent."  "Oh!  ladies,"  was  their  salutation, 
when  we  had  missed  a  day  in  coming,  and  a  slight 
disturbance  had  occurred,  "  if  you  had  been  here  last 
evening,  the  men  would  all  have  gone  away  without 
giving  us  any  trouble." 

Shortly  before  the  last  five  hundred  of  the  Corps 
who  composed  the  Commissariat  branch,  sailed  in  the 
Jura^  from  off  Deptford,  they  gave  me  a  Bible  and 
Prayer-book^  bound  together  in  a  very  beautiful 
"  antique  fashion,"  as  a  parting  remembrance  of  our 
pleasant  intercourse  —  an  intercourse  which  had  left 
not  a  single  painful  remembrance.  In  all  our  after- 
noon visits  to  them,  including  the  large  crowds  of 
unchosen,  and  therefore  disappointed  men,  not  one 
rough  word  was  ever  spoken  to  us.  Darkness  often 
came  on,  as  we  stood  under  an  old  oak,  with  these 
men  around,  reading  and  talking  with  them  about  the 
things  wliich  belonged  to  their  peace;  and  when  a 
torch  was  sent  out  from  the  Crystal  Palace  office,  to 
light  us  back  to  the  carriage  which  had  brought  us 
thither,  it  flashed  on  faces  so  full  of  feeling,  that  we 
understood  by  it  the  reason  of  the  hush  which  had 
prevailed. 

At  last  came  the  day  in  December  when  the  Jura 
was  to  receive  her  complement,  and  to  sail  for  the 
East.     It  was  the  sharpest  day  of  a  short,  but  intense 


TRUE  AND  TRUSTY.  245 

frost.  My  sister  and  I,  with  a  beloved  young  friend, 
who  has  since  entered  into  the  ''joy  of  her  Lord," 
drove  over  to  Deptford,  and  spent  six  hours  on  board 
the  Jura^  in  taking  leave  of  the  five  hundred.  Amongst 
them   were   two   men   whom   I   have  named,  John 

M ,  and  James  P ,  whose  honest  faces  had 

attracted  us  a  few  weeks  before,  in  the  crowd  of  men 
endeavouring  to  gain  admission  at  the  Crystal  Palace 
gates. 

We  had  then  found  it  unnecessary  to  write  for 
further  testimony  to  tlieir  characters.  The  documents 
which  they  had  brought  with  them  had  been  signed 
not  only  by  their  employers,  but  also  by  the  rector 
and  curate  of  the  parish,  and  the  two  churchwardens. 
Their  countenances  alone  would  have  been  amply 
sufficient  recommendations, — they  literally  shone  with 
honest  and  simple  worth.  At  the  time  we  first  noticed 
them  they  were  almost  starving ;  so  we  told  them  to 
come  to  the  Eectory  for  supper  that  evening;  and 
then,  finding  they  had  nothing  left  to  pay  for  a  night's 
shelter,  we  lodged  and  boarded  them  in  the  village. 
As  soon  as  they  were  appointed  to  the  Corps,  they 
commenced  laying  by  the  larger  portion  of  their  wages 
to  repay  us ;  and  had  time  enough  to  do  so,  fiilly. 
A  few  days  before  the  Jura  sailed,  they  asked  to  see 
me,  and  with  some  hesitation  and  fear,  ''  lest  it  sli-ould 
be  lh  uiglit  taking  advantage  of  kindness,"  requested 
tlie  loan  of  half  a  sovereign  to  each,  to  enable  them  to 


246  TRUE  AND  TRUST Y. 

go  down  into  shire,  to  take  leave  of  their  wives 

and  children. 

The  night  before  the  vessel  sailed,  both  came  to  the 
Eectory,  to  repay  the  loan.  "Are  you  sure,  my  friends, 
that  you  can  afford  to  give  it  back?" 

"  Quite  sure,  and  thank  you,  ma'am,  a  thousand 
times." 

"  But  what  have  you  left  for  your  lodging  to-night 
and  breakfast  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Oh,  we  Ve  paid  our  lodging,  all 's  square." 

"But  for  breakfast?" 

A  moment's  pause  ensued  ;  then  came  the  cheerful 
answer,  "With  the  good  supper  we've  just  made 
here ;  and  the  good  dinner  we  shall  get  aboard  ship, 
we  don't  want  no  breakfast." 

Of  course,  that  arrangement  was  not  permitted  to 
stand.  But  when  we  met  on  board  ship,  we  found 
that  whilst  other  men  had  been  laying  out  from  ten 
to  twenty  shillings  a-piece  in  warm  vests,  John  and 
James  had  been  obliged  to  do  without  them  to  enable 
them  to  repay  their  debts.  So  there  they  stood  on 
deck  in  that  biting  cold,  with  nothing  warmer  than  a 
slop  over  their  shoulders,  and  with  small  chance  of 
having  the  warm  clothing,  provided  by  Government, 
given  out  for  some  days.  It  was  not  to  be  borne. 
So,  early  in  the  day  we  despatched  a  messenger  for 
four  warm  knitted  vests  from  London.  Five  o'clock 
came ;  the  darkness  of  a  December  night  was  deepen- 


TKUE  AND  TRUSTY.  '"§1^ 

ing.  Our  last  farewell  words  were  said;  and  the 
last  man's  hand  had  been  shaken;  there  was  no 
longer  any  reason  for  remaining ;  yet  our  messenger 
had  not  returned.  There  was,  plainly,  some  mistake, 
and  the  ship  would  probably  sail  before  the  parcel 
could  now  reach  our  friends. 

The  colder  blew  the  night  breezes  about  us,  as  we 
drove  through  Deptford,  the  more  unbearable  was 
the  thought  of  these  two  men  suffering  for  their  high 
and  delicate  sense  of  honour  towards  us.  We  drove 
from  shop  to  shop  before  anything  like  the  articles  of 
clothing  which  we  wanted  could  be  found.  At  last 
at  the  fifth  shop  searched,  they  were  obtained.  But 
who  was  to  take  them  back  to  the  ship  ?  No  shop- 
man could  be  spared. 

Beneath  a  lamp  in  the  street  stood  a  group  of  boys. 
Its  light  fell  on  a  face  which  seemed  to  introduce 
the  sort  of  messenger  I  desired.  The  story  was  told 
him.  ^^  Now,  my  boy,  we  are  strangers,  and  I  do 
not  want  to  know  your  name  or  where  you  live,  nor 
any  clue  to  either.  You  might  take  these  vests  and 
make  twenty  shillings  upon  them,  or  give  them  away 
to  yom-  father  and  brothers,  if  you  choose.  I  should 
never  send  the  police  after  you.  But  my  confidence 
in  the  honour  of  English  boys,  which  stands  so 
high  now,  would  be  broken  down.  And  those  two 
nobly  honest  men  would  suffer,  and  might  take 
cold   and   go   into   a   consumption,    and  .die ;    and 


248  TRUE  AND  TRUSTY. 

their  wives  and  children  break  their  hearts  about 
them." 

The  boy's  eyes  flashed  under  the  lamp-light,  and 
snatching  the  parcel,  he  said,  '^  Trust  me.  I  'm  the 
boy  for  it." 

Eighteenpence  happened  to  be  the  worldly  all  we 
had  with  us,  after  paying  for  the  vests.  I  told  him 
how  sorry  I  was  for  this ;  but  that  it  would  pay  his 
boat  each  way,  and  he  would  have  sixpence  and  a 
happy  heart  to  lie  down  with  at  night. 

*'  It 's  a  plenty.  Father 's  a  waterman.  I  shall 
get  his  boat  for  nothing.  All 's  right !  "  and  off  h3 
ran. 

A  note  had  been  enclosed  in  the  parcel  to  one  of 
the  officers  with  whom  I  had  had  some  conversation, 
requesting  him  to  send  me  one  line  by  post  that  night 
or  next  morning,  to  say  that  the  parcel  had  reached 
its  destined  owners. 

The  next  day  passed,  and  the  next,  but  no  letter 
came  from  the  Jura.  We  read  in  the  Times  that  she 
bad  sailed  on  Thursday  morning.  The  day  posts  of 
Saturday  arrived,  but  brought  no  news  of  the  parcel. 

My  trust  failed.  ^^  My  boy  is  dishonest,"  I  said ; 
"  and  my  confidence  in  human  honour  can  never  be 
the  same  again." 

But  by  the  last  post  on  Saturday  evening  came  a 
note  from  the  officer  alluded  to,  to  say  that  about 
seven   o'clock    on  Wednesday  evening,  a  boy   ha^^ 


TRUE  AND  TIIUSTY.  249 

brought  a  parcel  on  boards  and  had  requested  per- 
mission to  deliver  it  to  two  men,  named  James  P 


and  John  M ,  in  the  presence  of  the  captain  of  the 

ship,  the  chief  officer  of  the  Corps,  and  the  medical 
officer. 

Having  discharged  his  duty,  tlie  last  sound  heard 
amidst  the  splashing  of  his  oars,  as  he  left  the  ship's 
side,  was  the  shout,  "  Tell  that  ere  lady  I  kept  my 
word,  and  the  jackets  was  in  time." 

All  honour  to  the  English  boy,  who  sustained  my 
right  to  trust  my  brothers,  young  or  old.  The  world 
is  not  so  wide,  but  we  shall  meet  again,  I  hope ;  and 
meet  when  we  may,  the  trusty  and  the  trusting  will 
be  friends. 


The  following  letters  have  been  selected,  with  no 
slight  difficulty,  from  amongst  very  many  of  nearly, 
if  not  quite  equal  value,  in  point  of  truth,  simplicity, 
and  freshness  : — 

"  February,  2nd  1856. 

"  Dear  Lady  and  Dear  Friend, — I  now  take  the 
pleasure  of  writing  to  you,  as  well  as  I  am  able,  hop- 
ing that  you  are  quite  well,  as  I  am,  thank  God  for 
it.  Since  I  took  the  last  sight  of  you  at  Deptford,  I 
have  many  times  thought  of  you.  We  had  a  very 
fine  voyage ;  on  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  I  was  half  afraid 
we  should  have  been  all  lost,  but  God  took  care  of 


260  TRUE  AND  TRUSTY. 

US,  and  guided  us  safe  to  Balaclava.  We  were  three 
weeks  on  the  water  —  we  made  it  our  practice,  a  few 
of  us,  to  have  a  prayer-meeting  with  Mr  Young,  and 
bless  God,  for  He  was  there  too.  We  should  have 
been  in  the  harbour  one  day  sooner,  but  it  was  full, 
so  we  was  forced  to  go  back  to  sea  again ;  but  we  got 
in  quite  safe  at  last ;  then  we  went  to  work  at  Bala- 
clava two  days,  and  then  we  volunteered  to  go  in  front 
of  Sebastopol;    working  at  the  commissary  of  the 

Fourth  Division,  me,  P ,  and  W ,  and  we  have 

got  a  very  good  place.     I  have  not  seen  L since 

I  left  the  Jura,  but  he  is  quite  well  I  have  heard. 

Me  and  James  P received  the  four  flannel  shirts, 

and  was  so  thankful  for  them.  I  hope  God  will  bless 
you  for  all  your  kindness.  I  wish  you  was  here, 
that  I  could  hear  you  lecture,  for  there  is  nowhere 
here  that  I  can  get  any  good  from  but  God  and  your 
Bible ;  I  value  that  as  much  in  the  Crimea  as  you  do 
your'n  at  home ;  I  can  sit  in  my  little  hut  and  read  it. 
I  am  as  happy  as  I  can  be,  for  I  have  everything  that 
heart  can  Avish  for  as  regards  this  world's  goods;  and 
I  trust  I  am  living  for  the  next.  I  should  love  to  have 
a  letter  from  you  if  it  be  not  too  much  trouble ;  this 
country  suits  me  very  well  at  present,  I  cannot  tell 
how  long  I  shall  be  here,  but  if  you  will  write,  please 
to  direct  to  me,  at  the  fourth  division  commissary  at 
the  front  of  Sebastopol  Crimea,  or  elsewhere.  We 
have  no  clergyman  up  with  us,  more 's  the  pity.   Give 


TRUE  AND  TRUSTY.  251 

my  love  to  Mrs  Hewitt,  and  all  enquiring  friends  at 
Beckenham,  for  I  have  to  thank  God  that  I  ever  came 
there,  but  I  should  never  have  come,  had  it  not  been 
for  you.  I  cannot  say  any  more  at  present,  only,  if 
God  don't  spare  me  to  come  home,  to  see  you  again; 
I  hope  I  shall  meet  in  heaven,  so  I  remain  yours, 

"JohnM ." 

"  Balaklava,  November  the  9. 

"Most  Honoured  Lady, — I  feel  in  duty  bound  to 
answer  your  most  kind  and  affecting  letter,  and  I  am 
sure  it  gave  me  great  pleasure  to  receive  a  letter 
from  you.  I  hope  this  may  find  you  and  the  rest  of 
your  family  in  the  enjoyment  of  good  health,  as  that 
is  the  greatest  blessing  we  can  expect  in  this  sinful 
world — poor  unworthy  creatures ;  I  am  happy  to  in- 
form you,  this  leaves  me  much  better,  than  the  last 
time  i  wrote  to  your  ladyship ;  but  this  is  a  veiy  un- 
healthy part  of  the  country,  where  we  are  living. 
There  is  nearly  6  hundred  more  navvies  landed  here 
this  Day  from  England,  and  there  is  a  great  many 
more  expected  out  here.  The  Chief  of  our  employ- 
ment, is  making  a  new  Road  from  Balaklava,  to  the 
front  right  up  to  Sebastopol,  close  side  of  the  rail 
road ;  but  every  night  or  morning,  i  never  forget  the 
soldiers  prayer,  you  was  so  kind  to  give  me,  and  I 
pray  to  God  to  give  me  strengh  to  uphold  it.  I  am 
happy  to  inform  you,  that  our  tent  is  Convenient  to 


252  TRUE  AND  TRUSTY. 

the  .Church,  and  a  very  kind  minister  we  have;  "but 
his  work  has  been  very  laborious.  I  am  sorry  to  inform 
you,  they  do  not  regard  the  sabbath  in  this  country, 
for  they  keep  open  the  shops  the  same  as  any  other 
day. 

**  *  but  a  sabbath  well  spent,  brings  a  week  of  content, 
and  health  for  the  toil  of  to  morrow ; 
but  a  sabbath  profaned,  what  e'er  may  be  gained, 
is  a  certain  forerunner  of  sorrow.' 

"  I  should  feel  very  thankful,  if  you  would  be  so 
kind,  as  to  answer  those  few  lines,  and  give  me  all 
the  information  you  can  Concerning  the  affairs  of  old 
England ;  and  you  will  Confer  a  great  obligation  on 
your  humble  servant  Henry  S ." 

"Balaklava,  January  <Ae  21. 

"Dear  Friend, — ^i  now  embrace  this  favourable 
opportunity  of  answering  your  most  kind  and  serious 
letter,  which  gave  me  great  comfort  to  hear  from 
you,  and  likewise  to  hear  you  was  in  the  enjoyment 
of  health,  as  that  is  the  greatest  blessing  we  can 
expect  in  this  sinful  world.  I  am  happy  to  inform  you 
this  leaves  me  in  perfect  health,  thank  the  Lord  for  his 
kindness  to  me.  I  am  happy  to  inform  you  we  have 
left  the  tents,  and  gone  into  wooden  huts,  and  we 
find  ourselves  much  more  comfortable,  for  we  have 
got  a  very  nice  little  Stove,  but  I  am  sorry  to  inform 
you  I  cannot  devote  my  time  so  much  to  religious 
ordinance  as  i  should  like  to  do,  for  I  can  assure  you 


TRUE  AND  TRUSTY.  253 

there  is  great  swearing,  and  so  many  temptations,  that 
I  really  abhor  it,  and  I  wish  I  was  back  in  old  England 

again.     Me  and  John  W Sleep  Next  bed  to  each 

other,  and  there  is  never  a  night  pass  over  our  heads 
but  we  offer  up  a  prayer  for  your  w^elfare.  we  are 
given  to  understand  that  peace  is  about  to  be  pro- 
claimed; and  God  grant  it  may  be  so,  and  then 
I  shall  be  able  to  live  in  a  much  better  way,  and  live 
more  in  the  fear  of  the  Lordj  but  while  the  lamp 
holds  out  to  bum,  the  vilest  sinner  may  return.  J 
hope,  my  Dear  friend,  you  will  be  kind  enough  to 
answer  this  letter,  as  it  will  be  a  great  relief  to  my 
drooping  spirits,  for  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  always 
to  hear  from  you  at  any  time.  I  must  conclude  with 
prayer  for  your  future  happiness,  and  may  God  guard 
you,  as  is  the  constant  prayer  of  H.  S ." 

(From  one  of  the  men  who  was  burnt  in  the  confiagration 
of  twelve  huts  in  the  middh  of  the  night.) 

"  Feb.  7, 1856. 
"  'Out  op  sight  out  op  mind.* 

"Dear  Madam, — I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  in 
taking  the  liberty  to  send  these  few  lines  .to  you, 
hoping  they  will  find  you  in  a  good  state  of  health. 
I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  we  have  a 
public  worship  on  Sunday  mornings  and  evenings,  in 
one  of  our  huts,  but  I  should  be  very  glad  to  see 
many  more  of  the  men  belonging  to  the  Army  Works 


254  TRUE  AND  TRUSTY. 

Corps  going  to  worship  God  and  keep  his  Day.  The 
old  proverb  is  as  I  said  above,  '  Out  of  sight  out  of 
mind ' — that  may  be  true.  But  I  must  acknowledge 
this,  that  Beckenham,  and  the  lecture  one  Tuesday- 
night  in  Beckenham,  is  not  out  of  my  mind ;  those 
Excellent  remarks  on  the  words,  ^  Come  unto  me  all 
ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest  j '  your  solemn  remarks  come  often  to  my 
mind,  especially  when  I  observe  many  of  the  working 
men  in  the  Army  Works  Corps  neglect  the  happiness 
of  their  immortal  souls,  and  spend  their  time  in  non- 
sense and  corruption,  and  through  that  neglect  their 
own  salvation :  may  God  bring  all  to  light,  and  con- 
vert their  ignorance.  If  the  soldiers  are  fighting 
against  their  Enemies,  So  the  little  militant  Church 
of  God  here  in  the  wilderness  against  a  strong  army. 
If  our  brave  soldiers  are  fighting  to  Conquer,  So  the 
few  Christians  are  labouring  to  conquer  Satan,  and 
to  save  souls.  May  the  blessed  time  come  soon  that 
the  Christian's  w^ar  be  over,  and  peace  reign  for  ever, 
a  sanctuary  in  every  country,  and  the  Lord  be  revered 
in  every  city,  in  every  town,  in  every  House,  and 
every  family,  from  pole  to  pole.  May  God  soon  grant 
the  blessed  time.  0 !  what  a  word  of  Comfort  is  the 
following,  ^God  so  loved  the  world  That  He  gave 
His  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth,'  &c. 
0 !  what  a  consolation.  0 !  what  a  fact,  a  blessed 
factj  that  Jesus  took  upon  Him  all  our  sins,  Bore  the 


TKUE  AND  TKUSTY.  255 

pnnisliment  in  our  stead,  The  chastisement  of  our 
peace,  and  by  His  stripes  we  are  healed.  Here's 
another  word  of  Comfort  to  tlie  wandering  sinner, 
*  The  Son  of  man  is  Come  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  is  lost.'  Also,  ^  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his 
way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts,  and  let 
him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  He  will  have  mercy 
upon  him,  and  to  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  j^ardon^ 
May  God  enlighten  the  mind  of  them  in  the  Crimea 
to  seek  the  way  of  salvation,  and  trust  in  God  and 
serve  him  all  the  days  of  their  Lives.  I  have  no 
need  to  desire  one  favor  from  you,  to  Eemember  the 
little  Church  in  the  Crimea^  and  every  Sinner  here, 
Because  I  Believe  that  you  think  often  of  the  men  of 
the  A.  W.  C.  here. 

"  May  the  God  of  all  Bless  you  in  all  your  Prayers 
and  Labours,  and  kindness  to  the  poor,  and  all  work- 
ing Classes  of  all  kind,  and  Bless  you  in  all  your 
efforts  to  Save  Souls,  that  is  my  Prayer. — I  am  your 
humble  servant,  K.  W ." 

"  N.B. — Please  to  excuse  me  send  the  above  to  you. 
My  Best  respect  to  Mrs  Chalmers,  may  God  bless 
her  Body  and  Soul. 

"  I  am  rather  short  of  Books  to  Read  here,  there 
is  no  Book  selling  in  the  Crimea. 

"  The  Rev.  C.  Hudson  is  well,  and  follow  hia 
Divine  Ministry.  R.  W , 

••  3d  Division,  Balaklava,  Crimea." 


256  TRUE  AND  TRUSTY. 

"  Kadikor,  near  Balaclava. 
"  Honored  Miss, — With  pleasure  I  take  this  oppor- 
tunity of  letting  you  know  that  God  has  so  far  been 
gracious  to  me  in  preserving  me  from  all  dangers 
since  I  left  England.  This  is  a  very  wild  and  desolate 
country,  and  I  am  sorry  to  have  to  inform  you  that 
the  Sabbath  is  almost  entirely  disregarded  out  here ; 
intemperance  is  so  prevalent,  that  it  is  ruining  both 
the  bodies  and  souls  of  the  majority  of  our  Corps,  but 
now,  as  there  is  every  appearance  of  peace,  I  suppose 
we  shall  all  be  sent  home  soon :  but,  whether  1  return 
sooner  or  later,  I  hope  to  return  thanking  God  for  his 
many  mercies  to  me,  both  in  temporal  and  spiritual 
concerns.  Hoping  God,  in  His  tender  mercy,  will 
long  spare  you  to  assist  others  in  the  way  they  should 
go,  and  thanking  you  for  all  your  past  kindness  to  me,. 
— I  remain,  your  Ever  Obedient  and  humble  Servt., 

«  Edwin  G ^ 

"  Sbbastopol,  March  the  20.  1866. 

"  Madam, — I  Duly  Keceived  your  very  kind  letter 
and  tract,  for  which  I  send  you  My  Sincere  thanks,  as 
I  often  Derive  a  great  Deal  of  Comfort,  from  that  and 
the  testament  that  you  was  so  kind  as  to  give  Me 
before  we  came  Away.  I  thank  you  very  much  for 
the  kind  Advice,  and  the  good  Wishes  that  you  sent 
me  in  the  Letter,  And  the  kind  Advice  that  you  gave 
us  all  before  we  came  Away,  which  is  all  for  oiu:  good. 


TEUE  AND  TRUSTY.  257 

what  yovL  said  to  us  About  the  Drink  out  here  is  very 
true,  for  there  is  A  great  Many  of  our  Men  is  in  the 
hospital  through  the  Drink,  but  I  thank  God  for  giving 
me  strength  to  withstand  against  the  many  temptations 
that  are  here  to  Drink,  but  thank  God  I  have  taken 
your  Advice  Since  I  have  been  out  here,  for  I  Do  Not 
use  the  Drink,  And  I  sincerely  wish  that  ray  Comrades 
Would  Do  the  same,  for  it  is  a  sad  thing  to  see  them 
Drove  to  Madness,  and  killing  themselves  for  the  sake 
of  Drink,  and,  after  enduring  the  Crimea  hardships 
to  come  home  to  england,  if  it  should  please  God  to 
spare  us,  in  Worse  poverty  then  what  they  came  out 
in,  I  am  sure  they  Will  think  then  What  A  good 
thing  it  Would  have  been  for  them  if  they  had  took 
your  kind  Advice.  We  have  shifted  our  quarters  since 
I  sent  My  last  letter  to  you.  We  are  quartered  in 
Sebastopol  Now,  But  I  hear  that  We  Are  soon  coming 
back  to  England  again,  for  We  hear  that  the  War  is 
at  last  over,  thank  God.  I  hope.  Madam,  these  few 
Lines  Will  find  you  And  your  sister  in  good  health. 
As,  thank  God,  this  Leaves  me  At  present, — I  remain, 
Your  humble  servant, 

"Williams ." 

"Sebastopol,  April  1st,  —56. 

"  Respected  Friend  and  Lady, — I  received  your 
kind  and  most  Welcome  letter  this  afternoon,  and  us 
Was  most  Happy  to  hear  that  you  Was  all  quite  well, 

B 


258  TRUE  AND  TKUSTT. 

also  to  Hear  that  you  Was  receiving  both  of  our 
moneys  quite  safe.  The  10s.  lent,  which  you  men- 
tioned in  your  letter,  Was  also  quite  right,  and  we  hope 
you  will  Thank  Mrs  Chalmers  kindly  from  both  of  us, 
for  being  So  kind  as  to  lend  it  to  us  When  in  need.    I 

and  my  Comrade  J.  L are  quite  well,  and  in  good 

Spirits,  Thank  God  for  it,  I  read  the  Little  testament 
When  I  Can  make  time,  and  Last  Sunday  I  read  the 
Little  book  Called,  ^Walking  With  God  Before  Sebas- 
topol,'  to  3  or  4  of  my  Comrades,  and  they  liked  it  Very 
much  Indeed.  We  Very  often  goes  by  the  grave 
yard  Where  Captain  Vicars  was  buried,  and  many 
more  of  his  Fellow-officers.  We  are  living  about  one 
mile  from  the  North  Side  Where  the  Russians  are. 
We  can  See  them  quite  plain,  and  they  can  See  us, 
but  they  dont  fire  now,  they  did  When  us  first  came 
down  into  the  town, — But  now  We  can  go  for  a  Walk 
on  a  Sunday  down  on  the  Tcherneya  and  shake  hands 
with  plenty  of  them.  I  dont  know  as  I  have  any 
thing  more  to  Say  at  present,  only  Wishing  you  All 
quite  well. — We  both  Eemain,  your  Well  Wishers, 
«  Thos.  L and  John  L ." 

"  Balackava,  April  7, 1856. 

"  My  Dear  Friend, — I  received  your  most  kind 
letter  on  friday  last,  and  was  glad  To  hear  from  you, 
as  I  promised  to  write  to  you  The  day  we  came  on 
board.     I  am  one  of  the  nmslcians  That  was  playing 


TEUE  AND  TRUSTY.  259 

on  board.  I  was  very  sick  all  my  Voyage  over,  but 
thank  God  I  have  been  very  well  All  the  time  I  have 
been  here,  and  With  God's  Blessed  w411  I  trust  I 
Shall  while  I  am  here.  Thank  God  we  are  as  well 
provided  for  as  we  Can  expect  out  here.  I  am  Happy 
and  comfortable  in  My  place,  but  I  miss  my  little 
home  and  fireside,  my  Dear  Wife  and  little  children 

which  I  left  behind.     They  live  at  No.  7 place, 

Brixton.  If  you  Should  wish  to  call  or  write  at  any 
time  if  You  are  that  way,  they  would  be  glad  to  see 
you.  I  am  Happy  to  tell  you  that  Mr  Hudson  is 
with  us  Still,  I  was  With  him  in  Chapel  last  even- 
ing. And  he  is  quite  well  I  am  happy  to  say. 

"  My  Dear  Friend,  you  say  You  think  of  us,  and 
pray  for  us,  and  beg  of  us  to  pray  for  ourselves,  our 
blessed  souls  we  have  within  us.  I  pray  daily  for 
mine  And  others  j  thank  God  My  prayers  are  an- 
swered hourly  on  myself.  I  see  My  fellow  creatures 
sick  And  afflicted  all  around  me  Daily,  butlam  spared 
untouched,  thank  God  for  it.  I  hope  with  God's 
Blessed  will  this  will  find  You  quite  well  and  com- 
fortable.— With  my  best  wishes,  I  am  your  ever  obe- 
dient Servant,  Arthur  M " 

**  Camp  Before  Sebastpool,  March  7th,  — ^56. 

"  Honored  Friend, — I  take  the  Opportunity  Of 
answ^ering  your  Kind  and  Welcome  Letter,  In  hopes 
of  finding  you  all  well,  as  it  leaves  me.     I  have  had 


260  TRUE  AND  TKUS'iy. 

a  Severe  cold,  But  thanks  Be  to  the  Lord  I  am  a 
great  deal  Better,  the  Climate  is  so  Changeable, 
perhaps  for  2  or  3  days  we  have  fine  Weather,  and 
then  we  have  Severe  Winds,  frost  and  snow,  we 
have  at  the  present  Severe  Frost,  and  Snow  1 8  Inches 
Deep,  but  perhaps  in  two  or  three  days  we  Get  South 
or  South  West  Winds,  it  will  Sweep  it  all  away  in  a 
few  hour,  and  We  Get  a  field  of  Mud  very  near  up 
to  our  knees,  but  I  hope  we  shall  Soon  Get  through 
the  Worst  of  the  bad  Weather.  Dear  Friend,  I  must 
tell  you  I  have  been  to    Sebastopol  twice,   and  1 

found  a  Young  Gentleman,  Mr  J D ,  I  did  one 

time  live  with  his  Uncle  as  Gardener,  he  was  very 
pleased  to  see  me,  he  with  Great  kindness  asked  me 
in  to  his  house,  and  I  taken  a  Glass  of  Sherry  and  a 
cigar  with  him.  his  house  is  in  front  of  the  Dry 
Dock,  as  they  Our  fellow  Countrymen  have  Blown 
up,  and  the  following  Thursday  I  went  to  dine  with 
him,  I  very  much  enjoyed  my  treat,  he  has  invited  me 
to  call  on  him  at  any  time,  he  had  a  very  large  Shot 
Came  through  the  roof  of  his  house,  but  thanks  be  to 
the  Lord  he  was  not  at  home  at  the  time  it  happened. 
May  the  Lord  Bless  him  and  Protect  him.  Sebas- 
topol has  been  no  doubt  a  beautiful  place,  a  great  deal 
is  Levelled  to  the  ground,  there  was  10  Thousand 
Houses,  with  50  Thousand  inhabitants ;  how  dreadful 
it  must  have"  been  for  the  poor  creatures  to  have  had 
to  depart  in  One  Night,  Leaving  every  thing  Behind 


TKUE  AND  TRUSTY.  261 

them,  they  had  splendid  Dock  yards,  and  every 
thing  Comfortable  for  their  use.  We  are  very  Glad 
it  is  peace.  I  think  we  shall  not  be  Long  Before  we 
are  all  Home.  Give  My  kindest  love  to  my  Dear 
Children.  Glad  to  hear  they  are  all  well ;  tell  them 
I  have  got  a  little  Medal  for  each  of  them.  ]\iay  the 
Lord  Bless  them. — From  your  humble  servant, 

"William  A ." 

"CeiheA,  April  10. 

"Dear  Friend, — I  am  very  comfortable  in  the 
Crimea.  I  am  living  with  our  Paymaster  as  his 
servant  j  but  I  should  like  to  see  home  again,  as  we 
do  not  get  half  the  comforts  as  we  get  at  home.  We 
have  beautiful  weather  out  here,  though  it  is  very 
changeable.  We  have  plenty  of  crocuses  and  snow- 
drops grow  out  here.  I  hope  I  shall  soon  see  you 
again,  and  thank  you  for  your  kindness  to  me.  I 
have  seen  a  great  deal  of  Turkish  religion  ;  they  are 
as  bad  as  heathens.  Some  Turkish  ladies  left  their 
homes  because  the  telegraph  wires  run  over  the  tops 
of  their  houses ;  they  imagined  that  the  wires  could 
tell  all  their  secrets.  I  do  not  think  1  have  any  more 
to  say.     I  will  conclude. — From 

"James  L ," 


262  TRUE  AND  TRUSTY. 

"  Balaklava,  April  \Uh,  1856. 

"  Missus ,  and  sisters,  I  was  very  glad  to  liear 

from  you,  Also  I  feel  glad  to  hear  that  our  savings  are 
all  right;  as  several  of  our  men  have  had  a  great  deal  of 
trouble  to  get  their  money,  we  all  shall  soon  be  at 
home.  On  Saturday  12th,  there  was  560  started  from 
Balaklava,  on  Cleopatra  a  screw  steam  ship,  please 
God  all  will  arrive  safe  to  England. 

"  Madam,  I  remember  you  speaking  of  Captain 
Vicars  who  was  killed  at  the  storming  of  the  Redan, 
no  sooner  did  I  see  his  grave  stone  then  it  reminded 
me  of  you  speaking  about  him,  he  has  a  beautiful  stone 
at  the  head  of  his  grave,  and  the  grave  yard  is  walled 
all  round  with  stone. 

"  As  I  read  through  your  letter,  I  find  you  urge  me 
and  all  to  attend  to  the  chaplain's  instructions,  I  am 
glad  to  inform  you  he  does  all  that  Lays  in  his 
power,  I  go  to  have  Lessons  in  writing,  we  have  pens 
ink  and  paper  and  all  instructions,  we  have  papers 
and  a  good  variety  of  books,  I  must  say  Mr  Hudson 
has  done  all  that  he  can  do.  I  must  Conclude. — your 
Deal  Mend, 

«  James  M.S , 

third  Divison  No.  3571." 

"  I  received  a  letter  from  home  to  say  that  you  sent 
home   that  money  which  I  spake   to   you  about,  I 

am  very  very  much  obliged  to  you,  Missus ,  and 

Sisters." 


TEUE  AND  TllUSTT.  263^ 

"  Sebastapol,  Crimba,  May  5tk,  1856. 

"  Dear  Madam, — I  am  happy  to  inform  you  that 
we  are  now  under  orders  for  home,  and  we  expect  to 
Sail  to  Morrow,  in  a  Vessel  named  the  Clyde,  and  I 
hope  with  the  Blessings  of  God,  we  may  all  arrive 
home  safe,  for  I  know  that  the  same  Lord  that  has 
protected  on  Land,  is  also  able  to  preserve  us  on  the 
sea ;  and  I  think  wlien  I  get  home,  I  shall  never 
have  cause  to  regret  leaving  my  native  home.  My 
Dear  Madam,  I  am  happy  to  tell  you  that  since 
peace  has  been  proclaimed,  the  Russians  have  been 
over  here  and  I  have  been  over  their  side ;  but  it  is 
very  painful  to  see  the  ignorance  the  poor  creatures 
are  living  in,  by  all  appearance  I  take  them  to  be  of  the 
Catholic  religion,  for  in  every  house,  let  it  be  ever  so 
humble,  they  have  a  picture  or  figure  of  the  blessed 
Virgin,  and  they  keep  a  candle  or  Lamp  constantly 
burning,  for  I  enquired  of  a  Eussian  that  could  speak 
English,  and  he  informed  me  that  they  keep  it 
burning  night  and  day.  They  never  partake  of  any 
thing  without  asking  a  blessing  before  and  after 
eating  it,  but  they  do  it  in  a  manner  quite  unusual 
to  the  English,  for  they  cross  themselves  several 
times  about  the  chest  and  forehead,  but  I  think 
that  most  of  them  are  very  religious  in  their  way. 
And  now,  dear  ^fadam,  I  think  I  have  told  you 
all,   so    now   I    must    conclude   with    my  best  re- 


264  TRUE  AND  TRUSTT. 

spects  and  wishes  to  you,  remaining,  Your  Humble 
Servant, 

''  William  S ." 


"  Aemy  Works  Corps, 
"Camp  BBtoRE  Sebastopol,  June  Zd,  —56. 

"  Honored  Lady, — I  beg  to  inform  you  that  I  sent 
you  an  Oil-Painting*  that  was  taken  from  the  large 
Church  in  Sebastopol  at  the  time  the  Town  fell  into 
the  Hands  of  the  Allies,  and  which  I  beg  to  offer  for 
your  acceptance,  as  a  small  return,  on  my  part,  for 
the  many  Kindness,  and  for  the  great  Interest  you 
have  allways  shown  to  the  Men  of  our  Corps.  I  shall 
be  very  glad  to  hear  of  its  safe  arrival  at  Beckenham 
Eectory.  I  am  very  happy  to  say  that  we  are 
Expecting  very  soon  to  return  to  England,  Thank 
God  for  it,  as  the  Climate  does  not  Seem  to  suit  the 
Constitution  of  our  men.  The  weather  is  Beginning 
to  get  very  hot,  But  I  am  happy  to  say  that  we  have 
But  very  little  Sickness,  thank  God.  We  have  but 
13  men  in  Hospital  at  present,— and  God  grant  that 
it  may  remain  so ;  for  it  was  a  shocking  sight  to  See 
the  Way  our  men  Suffered,  and  the  number  who  Died 
at  the  time  of  our  arrival  in  the  Crimea, — God  Forbid 
that  I  should  ever  witness  such  Sights  again.  We 
have  had  as  many  as  one  Hundred  and  twenty  nine 
at  one  time  in  Hospital,     I  am  happy  to  inform  you 

•  It  never  i-eached  its  deBtination. 


TRUE  AND  TRUSTY.  265 

that  I  have  had  the  Satisfaction  to  hear  a  Book  read 
Last  week,  Entitled,  4he  Memoirs  of  Captain  Hedley 
Vicars,  of  the  97th  Kegiment,'  and  you  will  no  doubt 
be  glad  to  hear  that  it  was  very  carefully  Read,  and 
attentively  Listened  to  by  all  the  Patients  in  the 
Hospital,  which  gave  great  Pleasure  to  all  present.  I 
knew  Captain  Vicars,  said  two  of  the  Patients,  and  a 
true  Christian  he  was,  if  ever  there  was  one, — and  God 
send  that  he  is  at  rest  in  Heaven,  where  we  all  hope 
to  meet  again,  to  part  no  more.  I  have  to  Humbly 
thank  you,  dear  Lady,  on  my  own  part,  Likewise  on 
the  Part  of  all  the  Patients  in  Hospital,  for  the  great 
interest  you  have  shown  for  us  all  in  sending  us  so 
many  Little  Books  and  Tracts,  for.  Believe  me,  they 
have  been  the  means  of  many  tears  being  shed  in  the 
Camp,  for  it  tells  us,  that,  although  so  many  Hundred 
miles  away,  that  the  Army  Works  Corps  are  not 
forgotten  by  you.  I  must  tell  you  that  the  Book  I 
have  been  speaking  about  was  sent  by  our  Kind 
Chaplain,  the  Rev.  Mr  Hallward,  who  is  always 
ready  to  do  any  of  us  all  the  good  he  can.  I  have 
myself  seen  the  spot  where  Capt.  Vicars  is  interred, — 
and  I  am  happy  to  say  that  the  Grave  yards  are  all 
neatly  attended  to, — there  is  several  of  our  men  that 
have  got  a  Miniature  Stone  as  a  Remembrance  of  that 
good  man — and  I  must  at  the  same  time  mention  that 
the  grave  yard  where  so  many  of  our  Poor  Fellows 
Lie  is  very  nicely  Laid  out,  and  a  very  neat  Stone 


266  TRUE  AND  TRUSTY. 

erected  to  their  Memory,  as  a  last  sad  Eemembrance 
to  the  Departed. 

"  I  must  now  beg  to  close  this  note  with  my  Duty 
to  yourself,  likewise  your  Honored  Father,  and 
Sister,  Mrs  Chalmers, — hoping  you  will  Excuse  my 
Boldness,  I  beg  to  Remain,  Your  Humble  Servant, 

"George  M " 


CHAPTEE    XVIIL 

|ris0n  §am  ijmi. 


'  Stone  walls  do  not  a  prison  make. 

Nor  iron  bars  a  cage  ; 
Minds  innocent  and  quiet  take 

That  for  a  hermitage. 

'  For  though  men  keep  my  outward ; 

Within  their  locks  and  bars. 
Yet  in  the  faith  of  Christ  I  can 

Mount  higher  than  the  stars." 


TJIIVBRSITTI 


oar 


"-ix^ 


In  the  montli  of  February  1856,  permission  was 
granted  my  sister  and  myself  to  visit  the  six 
prisoners  who  had  been  convicted  of  having  taken 
part  in  the  Penge  fight.  Four  were  confined  in 
Wandsworth  House  of  Correction  for  a  year  and  a 
half;  two  in  the  Pentonville  Penitentiary,  under  sen- 
tence of  four  years*  penal  servitude.  The  governors 
of  the  respective  gaols  gave  all  the  men  excellent 
characters. 

The  men  at  Wandsworth  were  first  visited.  The 
governor  kindly  permitted  us  to  see  them  in  his 
study.     The  interview  was  an  afiecting  one.     Young 

William  K ,  who  was  brought  in  first,  said : — 

"  I  am  innocent  of  the  fight ;  but  I  deserved  trouble 
at  the  hand  of  my  God,  if  not  of  man.  I  have  been 
wild,  and  drinking,  and  thoughtless.  If  I  had  not 
been  drunk  the  night  after  the  fighting  at  Penge, 
they  wouldn't  have  taken  me  up  and  said  I  had  been 
along  of  them  as  did  fight.  But  I  thank  God  I  ever 
came  here ;  I  never  might  have  stopped  to  think,  but 
for  this.     But  when  I  had  to  part  firom  my  mates, 


270  PRISON  DOOES  OPENED. 

and  go  alone  for  the  first  time  into  a  cell  all  by  my- 
self, and  felt  gone  down  in  my  heart,  I  remembered 
the  story  you  had  told  us  of  the  young  lady  of  five 
year  old,  who  spoke  up  out  of  her  cradle  one  night 
and  said,  I  think  anybody  wants  but  three  things  in 
this  life — '  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ '  to 
make  him  holy ;  and  '  the  love  of  God  '  to  make  him 
happy  ;  and  '  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  that 
he  may  always  be  in  gjod  company.  And,  said  I, 
then  I  '11  ask  for  all  that  in  this  little  narrow  place, 
and  I  shan't  feel  lonely.  And  I  did  ask ;  and  hoio 
I  've  loved  my  Bible  and  praying !  And  we  go  twice 
of  a  day  to  chapel,  and  it 's  beautiful  to  hear  our 
clergyman.  He  tells  us  such  fine  things  about  the 
blessed  Saviour,  and  makes  such  prayers !  and  I  go 
down  of  my  knees  when  I  get  back  to  my  cell,  and 
bless  God  for  sending  me  here  to  learn  of  such  a 
good  man." 

All  this  was  said  with  unusual  eagerness  and  fer- 
vour. He  had  treasured  up  these  thoughts  for  three 
months,  and  it  was  his  first  opportunity  of  pouring 
them  out  into  the  ear  of  his  friends.  For  the  time  being, 
it  changed  the  character  of  the  strong,  independent 
English  navvy,  slow  to  express  his  feelings,  and  far 
behind  the  mark  of  their  real  warmth  and  depth  in 
his  utterance  of  them,  into  the  nature  of  a  child, 
yearning  for  sympathy,  and  desirous  of  communicat- 
ing that  which  was  occupying  his  heart  and  mind. 


PRISON  DOORS  OPENED.  271 

Our  conversations  with  the  other  men  were  scarcely 
less   interesting  ;    but   the   impression    of   William 

R 's  innocence,  which  we  found  was  shared  by 

those  in  authority  over  him,  was  an  idea  which  neces- 
sarily filled  our  minds.  After  receiving  an  indefinite 
account  of  the  neighbourhood  in  London  where  the 
one  man,  who  could  prove  an  alibi  for  him  with 
regard  to  the  place  and  hour  of  the  fight,  might  pos- 
sibly be  found,  or  at  least  traced,  we  left  the  prison, 
asking  God  to  enable  us  to  procure  freedom  for  an 
innocent  man,  if  innocent  he  were. 

The  search  was  successful ;  the  tentmaker  who  had 
employed  him  and  worked  with  him  in  the  Crystal 
Palace  Gardens,  at  the  very  hour  of  the  fight,  made  an 
affidavit  before  the  Lord  Mayor  on  a  deposition  taken 
down  by  a  lawyer.  The  same  day  it  was  presented 
at  the  Home  Office  ;  and  justice  was  done  promptly. 

In   a   few  days  William   R was  with  us  at 

Beckenham,  and  boarded  at  a  cottage  until  he  could 
find  work.  He  arrived  one  Friday  evening.  On 
Sunday  night,  after  being  twice  at  church,  he  disap- 
peared. My  anxiety  about  him  was  great.  On  Tues- 
day evening,  the  Serjeant  of  police  brought  me  word 
that  "  on  Monday  evening  William  had  been  to  see 
his  old  friend,  Mr  Yokes,  at  the  Dolphin,  Sydenham ; 
had  refused  to  drink  a  single  glass  of  beer,  because 
^  drinking  had  begun  his  troubles ; '  and  had  told 
the  story  of  the  blessing  he  had  found  during  the 


272  PRISON  DOORS  OPENED. 

time  of  his  imprisonment,  so  powerfully  as  to  take 
off  all  tlie  men  who  were  there  from  drinking,  for 
that  evening  at  least — so  that  thej  went  away  .ns 
sober  as  himself." 

This  account  cheered  me  not  a  little ;  and  the  next 
evening  William  re-appeared. 

"Oh,  William!  how  could  you  go  away  without 
telling  me?  I  have  been  grieving  about  you,  fearing 
you  had  got  into  mischief  and  trouble." 

"  There  now  !  I  said  so  to  ganger  ;  I  know 
her  '11  fret,  I  said.  And  ganger  said,  '  Don't  think 
her  '11  trouble  herself  about  you.  Her  mayhap  got 
ye  out  of  prison,  because  yer  innocent;  but  her  '11  be 
glad  enow  yer  gone  off  to  provide  for  yerself.'  Yer 
don't  know  her,  I  said.  I  '11  give  up  a  quarter-day's 
work  and  wages,  and  just  run  over  this  afternoon, 
and  let  her  see  I  'm  all  right." 

"  But  what  took  you  away,  William,  so  suddenly?" 

"  I  met  my  old  ganger  on  Sunday  evening,  and  he 
said,  '  Come  along  o'  me  and  lodge  at  my  house,  three 
mile  away,  and  at  four  to-morrow  morning  you  shall 
be  at  work  again,  to  keep  yourself,  like  a  man.'  " 

"  And  you  never  thought  of  sending  a  note  or  a 
message  ?  " 

"  I  should  think  I  didn't.  'Twould  have  seemed 
a  liberty,  like." 

From  that  time  William,  the  ganger,  and  the 
ganger's  little   brother,   came   over   to   Beckenham 


PRISON  DOOES  OPENED.  273 

every  Sunday  to  attend  the  Church  services  and 
the  evening  reading^  bringing  their  dinner  in  their 
pockets,  and  having  tea  at  a  friend's  lodging.  The 
ganger  told  me  that  it  was  a  pleasure  to  have  Wil- 
liam lodging  with  him,  "  he  is  so  steady,  and  cheerful 
too ;  and  we  read  our  Bible  together  of  nights,  and 
he  makes  a  bit  of  a  prayer,  quite  comfortable  like." 

On  the  day  of  our  visiting  the  Wandsworth  House 

of  Correction,  to  tell  William  K of  his  freedom, 

the  governor  considered  it  unadvisable  to  allow  us  to 
see  the  three  other  prisoners  so  soon  again. 

Little  did  we  think  that  one  of  them  was  watching 
us,  and  went  sorrowfully  back  to  his  cell,  all  the 
more  lonely  because  his  friends  had  seemed  to  for- 
sake him. 

"  the  6  of  March  1856. 

"  Kind  Lady  and  Friends, — I  write  these  few 
lines  to  you  to  thank  you  for  the  Good  books  that 
you  have  sent  me,  I  thank  you  very  much  for  them, 
i  read  them  with  Great  care,  i  shall  keep  them  till  i 
come  out  of  this  prison,  and  there  is  a  long  time  yet 
for  me  to  stop  here.  I  saw  you  on  the  first  of  March 
in  the  prison,  and  when  i  went  to  my  cell  and  found 
that  you  was  not  coming  to  speak  to  me  i  sheded 
many  a  tear  that  night,  but  thank  God  I  feals  hap- 
pier now  then  ever  I  did  in  my  life  before.  I  wish 
that  I  had  took  more  notice  what  you  told  me  on  the 
Sunday  when  i  was  haven  tea  on  your  lawn  in  the 


274  PRISON  DOORS  OPENED. 

front  of  jour  house.  So  I  must  conclude  now  for  my 
time  is  up,  so  I  must  go  to  my  work, 

"  Henry  K ." 

The  governor,  with  his  wonted  genuine  kindness, 
had  added  the  following  postscript : — 

"  My  Dear  Mauam, — I  did  not  know  till  this 

moment  that  Henrj  K had  seen  you  and  Mra 

Chalmers  the  other  day.  I  shall  explain  to  him  that 
you  came  on  some  other  particular  business,  and  that 
it  was  my  fault,  and  not  yours,  that  you  did  not  go  to 
see  him.  R.  O. 

"  If  you  please  to  write  to  him  he  shall  have  the 
letter." 

It  need  scarcely  be  added  that  Henry  received  a 
letter  by  return  of  post,  and  a  visit  shortly  afterwards. 

Some  time  before  this,  I  had  endeavoured  to  see  the 
two  prisoners  at  Pentonville ;  but  had  been  informed 
that  no  interview  with  them  could  be  permitted  with- 
out an  order  from  the  Home  Office.  The  excellent 
chaplain,  Mr  Kingsmill,  offered  to  convey  a  message 
for  me,  and  left  the  door  ajar  as  he  entered  each  cell. 

Thus  I  heard  his  kind  words,  and  William  's 

answer,  "  Tell  her,  I  read  my  Bible  and  pray  the 
prayer  she  taught  me — that 's  what  she  '11  care  most 
to  hear."     The  deep  depression  of  the  tone,  and  the 


PRISON  DOORS  OPENED.  275 

languid  utterance,  struck  me  painfully ;  and  when  per- 
mission to  visit  them  was  most  kindly  offered  me  by 
the  chief  authority,  shortly  afterwards,  I  discovered 
how  heavily  solitary  confinement  weighs  down  the 
navvy.  The  punishment  to  him  is  one  of  double 
severity,  owing  to  his  being  accustomed  to  spend 
his  life  in  the  open  air.  The  excessive  monotony 
of  the  employment  supplied  to  the  men — weaving  a 
Penelope's  web  of  coarse  canvass  for  "  wrappering," 
with  no  variation  in  it,  yard  after  yard,  for  day  after 
day,  and  month  after  month* — is  surely  an  unnecessary 
aggravation  of  the  terrible  mental  trial  of  the  sepa- 
rate system ;  a  system  of  unquestionable  merit  in  its 
effect  upon  the  moral  condition  of  the  prisoner,  where 
some  liberty  is  accorded  to  the  Executive  to  relax 
its  conditions  with  judicious  and  discriminating 
humanity. 

I  am,  of  course,  taking  it  for  granted  that  the 
governor  has  these  qualities  in  no  common  measure. 
And  I  believe,  in  almost  all  the  appointments  made 


*  As  this  work  is  substituted  for  oakum-picking,  by  way  of  a  reward 
for  good  conduct,  it  may  be  allowable  to  suggest,  that  in  the  centre  of 
every  seventh  yard  of  canvass  should  be  woven,  in  red,  a  large  V.  R. 
I  believe  that  the  brightness  of  the  bit  of  colour  would  act  like  the 
charm  of  a  cheerful  vuice  in  the  lonely  cell,  and  that  on  the  **red 
letter  day"  many  a  man  would  break  his  sullen  silence,  to  shout,  "  God 
save  the  Queen!"  He  would  be  a  better  man  and  a  more  loyal  subject 
from  that  day  forth,  for  the  relief  granted  to  the  dreary  sameness  of  each 
hour's  work  in  his  oppressive  solitude,  by  being  permitted,  at  intervals, 
to  adorn  his  canvass  with  the  initials  of  his  gracious  Sovereign. 


276  PRISON  DOORS  OPENED. 

of  late  yearSj  the  most  earnest  pains  have  been  taken 
by  Colonel  Jebb,  Chairman  of  the  Directors  of 
Prisons,  to  secure  such  men. 

At  Preston  Gaol,  where  a  chaplain  of  singularly  in- 
fluential heart  and  character  is  nobly  supported  by  the 
governor,  all  those  miserable  partitions  in  the  chapel, 
which  render  each  man  invisible  to  his  neighbour,  are 
pulled  down;  and  a  generous  confidence,  that  the 
prisoners  will  not  tamper  with  each  other  during  the 
time  set  apart  for  the  worship  of  God,  has  never  been 
abused.  There,  also,  those  prisoners  who  have  con- 
ducted themselves  particularly  well,  are  allowed  to 
meet  together  for  a  certain  number  of  hours  in  the 
work-room ;  and  although  communication  is  strictly 
forbidden,  by  word,  touch,  or  look,  the  very  sense  of 
being  assembled  together  h^"  th^.  effect  of  preserving 
them  from  an  injurious  Tesp  ).idency.  That  these 
modifications  of  the  system  nave  been  found  truly 
beneficial  in  their  results,  I  was  informed  when  visit- 
ing that  gaol  in  the  autumn  of  1856  ;  and  could  well 
believe  it  from  the  humble  and  softened  expression  of 
many  of  the  prisoners'  countenances. 

Both  the  navvies  were  seriously  altered  in  appear- 
ance, and  were  so  weakened,  bodily  and  mentally,  that 
they  could  only  welcome  my  sister  and  myself  with 
tears.  One  had  a  sort  of  goitre  growing  in  his  throat, 
the  result  of  the  general  depression  of  his  system.  We 
ventured  to  ask  the  governor — who  treated  us  with 


PRISON  DOORS  OPENED.  277 

the  most  cordial  courtesj — to  put  him  on  the  sick  list, 
in  the  hope  that  he  might  be  ordered  a  nourishing 
diet  for  some  little  time  to  come.  This  request  was 
most  kindly  complied  with ;  and  thus  the  poor  fellow's 
constitution  did  not  quite  give  way  before  the  order 
was  considerately  given  for  them  to  be  sent  to  Port- 
land Island,  for  penal  servitude  more  suited  to  their 
nature  and  habits  of  life.  A  few  months  more  in 
that  dark  prison,  and  those  men  themselves  believe 
their  health  would  have  been  lost  for  ever.  Owing  to 
their  good  conduct  throughout,  the  term  of  their 
imprisonment  was  shortened  to  half  the  time  of  their 
sentence ;  and  they  visited  us  the  day  after  their  libe- 
ration, with  humble,  thankful  hearts.*  The  same 
favour  was  accorded  to  the  remainder  of  the  men, 
according  to  the  measure  of  their  sentences. 

*  They  spoke  with  much  gratitude  of  the  kindness  and  seal  of  the  Rer. 
T.  Dobie,  chaplain  to  the  convicts  at  Portland  Island. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

Mdtmt  3mt 


*  The  feast  is  spread  through  England 

For  rich  and  poor  to-day ; 
Greetings  and  laughter  may  be  then 

But  thoughts  are  far  away. 
Over  the  stormy  ocean. 

Over  the  dreary  track, 
"Where  some  are  left  whom  En^jmd 

Will  never  welcome  ba^" 


On  the  8th  of  May  1856,  the  Cleopatra  anchored 
off  Portsmouth,  and  six  hundred  of  the  men  of  the 
Army  Works  Corps,  with  exuberant  joy,  stood  again 
on  English  ground. 

From  that  time,  until  the  last  detachment  of  work- 
ing men  landed  from  the  Crimea,  we  were  in  the 
habit  of  keeping  open  house  for  their  visits.  They 
came,  usually  in  comj^anies  from  three  to  a  dozen  in 
number,  from  London  or  other  places,  at  once  for  a 
welcome  back  to  England,  and  for  a  farewell  before 
proceeding  to  remote  parts  of  the  United  Kingdom — 
to  the  Continent,  for  the  formation  of  foreign  railways 
— or  to  America,  Canada,  or  Australia,  to  remain  there 
for  life. 

There  was  something  both  surprising  and  touching 
in  the  discovery  that  months  of  hardship,  toil,  and 
privation,  amidst  scenes  of  war  in  a  foreign  land,  had 
not  lessened  the  glow  of  grateful  fiiendship  formed, 
during  so  brief  an  intercourse,  before  they  had  left 
their  own  country. 

Generally  speaking,  we  had  conversation  with  each 


282  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

man  separately,  and  heard  much  to  give  ns  hope,  and 
sometimes  full  satisfaction — though  too  often,  also, 
things  which  grieved  us. 

J,  L 's  confession  was  one  of  the  saddest.    For 

three  months  after  landing  in  the  Crimea,  he  had 
found  the  peace  and  the  pleasantness  of  seeking  to 
walk  with  God.  But  the  long  and  grievous  depar- 
ture which  had  followed,  he  traced  to  his  first  wilful 
breach  of  the  Lord's  commandment,  "  Eemember  the 
Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy."  In  the  afternoon  of 
an  autumn  Sabbath,  he  had  walked  to  the  French 
camp  for  amusement.  Hot  and  wxary,  he  drank  a 
glass  of  brandy,  "  and  then  I  forgot  my  happiness — 
I  forgot  my  God — and  have  gone  down  deeper  and 
deeper  from  that  day." 

"  And  have  been  miserable  ?  " 

"  Yes ;"  (in  a  firm  but  sullen  tone)  "miserable !" 

"  And  have  you  ever  thought  of  the  dishonour  you 
were  bringing  on  your  Saviour's  name;  or  of  the 
souls  you  were  dragging  down  with  you  to  Satan, 
instead  of  leading  up  to  Jesus  ?  " 

He  had  been  standing  till  then  with  something  of 
the  defiant  air  of  a  Red  Indian  chief,  his  tall,  power- 
ful form  wrapped  round  in  a  Crimean  cloak.  But 
after  pondering  that  question  for  a  moment,  he  drop- 
ped into  a  chair,  turned  aside  his  head  with  a  gush  of 
tears,  and  went  on  weeping  till  every  limb  shook  with 
his  great  distress. 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  283 

Surely,  I  thouglit,  the  Spirit  of  God  is  still  striving 
here,  and  striving  mightily.  After  seeking  to  render 
him  help  by  silently  praying  for  him,  I  said  a  few 
plain  words  about  the  Saviour's  goodness  to  the 
backsliding  ones,  and  then  besought  him  not  to  go 
on  putting  this  forbearing,  gracious  Saviour  "to  an 
open  shame." 

"  I  want  to  get  back  to  Him,"  he  said  at  last ;  "  and 
I  believe  I  should,  hut  for  this  drink.  It  is  drink 
that  keeps  me  from  Hirrij  and  from  hcype^ 

"  I  know  it.  And  from  this  day  forward,  you  must 
give  it  all  up.  You  must  make  a  tremendous  effort, 
in  the  strength  of  God.  This  ^  drink '  is  the  great 
wave  which  is  washing  your  soul  down  to  the  mouth 
of  hell.  It  must  be  manfully  resisted,  by  the  help  of 
God.     Promise  me  you  will  give  it  up  from  this  day." 

He  paused  for  some  moments,  then  promised  to 
make  the  effort,  and  joined  earnestly  in  prayer  for 
grace  to  keep  his  word. 

It  was  some  time  before  we  heard  of  him  again. 
When  he  wrote  at  last,  he  informed  us  that  "  he  was 
engaged  in  a  very  serious  bit  of  work,  going  to  be 
married  to  a  very  comfortable  person,  and  he  hoped 
it  would  prove  a  blessing  to  all  the  parties  con- 
cerned." From  the  tone  of  two  subsequent  letters, 
we  trust  and  hope  that  he  had  escaped  from  the  snare 
of  drinking,  and  was  seeking  his  God  with  an  earnest 
heart. 


284  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

As  many  of  our  friends  came  from  some  distance 
to  see  us,  we  provided  coffee  and  cake  for  them — a 
little  attention  which  seemed  to  give  much  gratifica- 
tion. Few  came  to  us  empty-handed.  Some  small 
remembrance,  brought  from  the  Crimea  with  anxious 
care,  bore  its  little  testimony  to  the  thoughtfulness 
of  their  generous  hearts.  Coins  of  various  descrip- 
tions ;  Kussian  charms ;  a  Jewish  phylactery  box,  dug 
up  at  Sebastopol ;  brooches  and  seals,  cut  and  polished 
by  their  own  hands  from  the  rocks  at  Sebastopol  and 
Balaklava;  a  pair  of  pigeons;  coloured  engravings 
from  Malta ;  and,  far  more  touching  than  all,  stones, 
dust,  blades  of  grass  and  flowers  from  one  grave  in 
the  Crimea,  to  which  all  seemed  to  bend  their  steps. 
Many  had  attempted  sketches  of  it.  Others  had 
spoken  with  the  men  of  the  97th,  and  had  treasured 
up  their  words  of  love  and  respect  for  Captain  Vicars' 
memory. 

Pleasant  was  it  to  hear  their  short,  strong  state- 
ments of  not  having  forgotten  us  in  the  Crimea. 
"Once  we  heard  as  you  was  dead,  and  nigh  two 
thousand  of  us  ran  together  and  prayed  God  it  wasn't 
true ! "  And  again  :  "  Whenever  any  more  comed 
over,  we  said,  first  thing,  ^  Been  to  Beckenham, 
mates  ?    How  was  they  ?  " ' 

Henry  B told  us  of  the  death  of  his  mate, 

William  Hawkesworth.  "  He  never  was  the  same 
man  after  he  came  to  Beckenham  lawn,  for  the 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  285 

breakfast  and  prayer ;  never  swore  from  that  morn- 
ing ;  took  to  his  Bible,  and  seemed  quiet  and  happy. 
We  used  to  sing  our  hymns  together.  He  never  fell 
off  out  of  that  way,  but  v.  ent  straight  on  towards  his 
Saviour,  till  the  day  he  was  blowed  up  by  gunpowder 
— and  I  believe  he  went  straight  up  to  heaven." 

"  And  how  are  you  going  on,  Henry?" 

"  I'm  trying  to  go  on  as  he  did.  1  never  drank  a 
pint  of  nothing  in  the  Crimea,  that  I  might  keep  me 
out  of  harm's  way." 

Henry  was  gravely  glad  to  see  the  large  sum  of 
money  to  which  his  savings  had  amounted,  and  then 
inquired,  "  Pray,  ma'am,  what  do  I  owe  you?" 

<^  Nothing,  Henry." 

"  Oh  yes,  ma'am,  if  you  please ;  I  should  like  to 
pay  something  handsome  for  the  trouble.  It 's  but 
fair." 

*'  Not  fair  to  us,  Henry ;  for  that  would  spoil  our 
pleasure  in  having  done  it  for  friendship." 

"  Well,  then,  you  can't  refuse  to  take  a  pound  to 
put  to  getting  Bibles  for  them  as  has  none." 

I  saw  his  heart  was  set  on  giving  a  thank-offering, 
so  I  let  him  give  a  portion  of  the  sum  he  named  to  the 
Bible  Society. 

Young  Robert  S came  the  same  day.    He  was 

a  fine  specimen  of  a  Highlander,  with  a  broad,  open 
brow,  an  honest,  noble  countenance,  and  a  true, 
strong,  Scottish  heart.     He  did  not  say  much,  but  all 


286  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

that  dropped  from  his  lips  was  to  the  point  j  and  ho 
was  full  of  gratitude,  both  for  the  goodness  of  God, 
and  for  the  little  kindnesses  of  friends. 

A  few  days  later  he  came  again  for  his  savings,  and 
to  take  leave.  He  was  delighted,  with  a  child-like  sim- 
plicity, to  find  that  we  had  once  spent  a  day  or  two  in  a 
house  in  the  Highlands  where  his  father  had  lived  as 
butler.  He  chose  only  to  take  a  third  of  his  joroperty 
home,  deciding  to  write  for  the  rest  when  he  should 
have  need  for  it. 

After  putting  the  gold  into  his  purse,  I  saw  him 
open  and  shut  it  two  or  three  times,  with  something 
of  nervous  anxiety,  unlike  his  usual  calm,  forceful 
manner;  then,  colouring  up  to  the  roots  of  his  hair, 
he  drew  out  two  sovereigns.  "  I  hope  you  won't  be 
offended,  ma'am  ;  here  are  two  pounds  for  you  and  the 
young  lady,  if  you  '11  just  be  pleased  to  take  them  for 
the  trouble  you  have  both  had." 

"  Thank  you,  Kobert,  all  the  same  as  if  we  could 
take  it  from  you.  But  you  must  put  it  back  into  your 
own  pocket.  If  you  had  done  any  thing  to  serve  a 
friend,  to  the  best  of  your  ability,  out  of  hearty  good- 
will, would  you  be  half  as  happy  about  it  if  you 
accepted  a  reward  for  it?" 

He  thought  the  question  well  through  before  he 
replied,  "  No,  I  think  not ;  and  if  it  would  spoil  your 
pleasure,  I  '11  say  no  more  about  it." 

There  was  character  in  all  this.     It  was  not  the 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  287 

open-handed  fling  of  a  recklessly-generous  heart — like 
that  of  a  navvy  who  was  throwing  half-crowns  and 
shillings  to  a  knot  of  women  and  children  in  the  road. 

But  it  was  clear  that  Robert  S felt  it  was  the  just 

thing  to  do,  and  he  would  do  the  just  thing  hand- 
somely, with  a  full  knowledge  of  the  value  of  his  two 
pounds,  and  of  the  use  he  had  for  them  himself.  He 
put  them  back,  slowly  too — not  greedily,  nor  even 
readily,  but  with  a  conviction  that  it  was  as  manly 
and  generous  to  accept  the  free  service  of  friendship, 
as  it  was  to  offer,  in  the  first  instance,  to  pay  for  it. 

After  some  conversation  touching  deeper  interests 
than  even  his  well-earned  little  "  capital,"  in  the 
course  of  which  he  gave  me  reason  to  hope  that  his 
heart  and  his  treasure  were  laid  up  in  heaven,  he 
stood  with  glistening  eyes  by  the  door,  and  said,  ^'  I 
had  brought  you,  and  all  them  at  home,  some  nice 
presents ;  but  my  kit  was  stolen  at  Portsmouth. 
What  I  minded  the  worst  was  that  your  Testament 
was  in  it,  that  I  had  taken  such  care  of  in  the 
Crimea.'* 

We  were  glad  indeed  to  replace  it.  After  he  had 
left  the  room,  he  looked  back  to  say,  "  Father  has  to 
do  with  the  salmon-fishing.  If  a  salmon  comes  from 
Inverness  some  day,  you'll  not  be  hurt  about  it?" 

I  need  scarcely  say  we  assured  him  that  it  would  be 
the  best  salmon  we  could  ever  eat. 

On  the  18th  of  May  we  went  to  meet  the  whole 


288  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

body  of  the  men  then  returned,  on  our  old  ground  by 
the  Crystal  Palace  Pay  Office.  Their  welcome  was 
very  cordial  and  pleasant.  Whilst  speaking  to  them, 
with  the  certainty  of  its  being  the  last  time  on  earth, 
excepting  in  isolated  instances,  about  the  things  that 
belong  to  our  peace,  a  man  who  called  himself  "  an 
artisan,"  a  stranger  to  me  and  to  most  of  the  men, 
interrupted  me  with  an  attack  upon  the  character  of 
our  blessed  Redeemer.  Praying  silently  for  wisdom, 
I  answered  him  briefly,  and  then  continued  to  address 
the  rest.  Just  as  he  was  about  to  speak  again,  an- 
other mechanic,  with  a  pale,  intellectual  face,  drew 

him  aside,  and  L heard  him  say :  "  The  lady  has 

offered  to  discuss  these  points  with  you,  if  you  will  go 
to  Beckenham  for  the  purpose.  When  she  comes 
here,  it  is  to  speak  to  us  all  of  what  is  in  her  heart ; 
and  the  hearts  of  nearly  all  the  men  go  with  it  while 
they  listen.  I  am  a  Catholic,  but  I  can  listen  to  it  all, 
and  agree  with  the  main  things." 

"  But  I  can't  and  won't,"  replied  the  infidel ;  "  and 
I  don't  want  to  set  her  right  alone,  but  all  of  you. 
1  want  all  to  hear  me." 

"  Then  get  up  on  that  heap  of  stones,"  said  our 
friend,  "  and  talk  to  all  as  likes  to  hear  ye ;  nobody 
hinders.  Only  don't  expect  the  hearts  of  us  to  go 
with  you,  as  they  do  with  a  lady  that  cares  for  us  as 
if  we  were  her  own  brothers." 

This  colloquy  was  not  repeated  to  me  until  after 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  289 

we  had  left  the  ground.  1  went  back  to  seek  out  the 
pale  thoughtful  face,  and  to  thank  its  owner  for  his 
timely  support.  He  stepped  aside  from  the  crowd. 
"You  and  I  have  a  strong  bond  of  sympathy,"  I 
said ;  "  the  love  of  that  Saviour  whose  name  we  could 
not  bear  to  hear  spoken  against." 

"  We  have,  madam,"  he  replied.  "  We  have  one 
Father,  and  one  Saviour." 

"  And  one  Holy  Ghost,  the  Comforter,"  I  added. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied  solemnly ;  "  but  I  have  not 
heard  or  thought  much  of  Him.  He  is  not  much 
spoken  of  in  our  chapel." 

He  listened  earnestly  to  the  words,  "  And  I  will 
pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another  Com- 
forter, that  he  may  abide  with  you  for  ever ; 

"  Even  the  Spirit  of  truth ;  whom  the  world  cannot 
receive,  because  it  seeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth 
him :  but  ye  know  him ;  for  he  dwell  eth  with  you, 
and  shall  be  in  you. 

"  The  Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom 
the  Father  will  send  in  my  name,  he  shall  teach  you 
all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  your  remembrance, 
whatsoever  I  have  said  unto  you. 

"  When  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he  will 
guide  you  into  all  truth." 

"  Is  He  not  worth  seeking — asking  to  dwell  in 
yom^  heart?  Oh,  would  you  begin  from  this  day 
to  entreat  His  presence,  and  never  leave  off  asking 

T 


290  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

to  be  ^  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost '  (like  the  disciples 
of  old)  until  you  are  enjoying  the  presence  of  your 
Saviour  face  to  face  in  glory?  " 

With  earnestness  he  promised  to  pray  that  prayer, 
and  to  accept  a  Bible,  which  was  sent  by  post  that  day. 
Our  last  words  were  a  mutual  agreement  to  pray  for 
the  conversion  of  the  poor  scoffing  unbeliever. 

Charles  R ,  a  bricklayer,  took  back  the  whole 

of  his  capital  at  once  to  build  a  cottage  at ,  "  And 

you  shall  be  the  first  to  step  across  its  floor,  if  you 
please,  ladies."  He  began  to  have  "family  prayers" 
with  his  wife  on  his  return  from  the  Crimea. 

A  young  navvy,  with  a  bright,  honest  faoe,  and 
sailor-like  manner,  returned  to  shew  us  how  he  had 
invested  the  first  instalment  of  his  savings.  "  I  knew 
you  'd  be  glad  to  see  I  had  not  wasted  the  £12." 

"  Not  wasted,"  indeed !  The  investment  included 
a  silver  hunting  watch  and  gold  chain ;  a  blue  pilot 
coat ;  neat  plaid  trousers ;  and  as  the  crowning  glo- 
ries, a  green  velvet  waistcoat  and  a  blue  Glengarry 
bonnet,  with  a  red  band.  Within  this  holiday  attire 
dwelt  a  sober  and  steady  little  soul,  who  was  return- 
ing to  the  home  of  his  elder  brother,  a  schoolmaster 
in  the  west  of  England,  probably  to  provoke  no 
small  amount  of  excitement  and  admiration  in  the 
"  circle  of  his  acquaintance." 

Another  of  the  men,  who  had  returned  at  an  earlier 
date  in  bad  health,  came  from  his  widowed  sister's 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  291 

house,  in  Staffordshire,  to  visit  us  about  this  time. 
He  brought  with  him  the  present  of  a  handsome 
China  jug,  which  he  had  ordered  according  to  his 
fancy,  with  an  inscription  in  gold  letters  upon  it. 
He  tried  to  procure  work  in  the  neighbourhood ;  and 
said,  ''Ye  see  I  wish  to  live  and  die  here,  for  mj 
soul's  sake."  But,  alas !  the  temptation  of  meeting 
with  some  of  his  wilder  mates,  on  their  return  from 
the  Crimea,  was  too  much  for  him,  and  he  was  led 
away  to  intemperance.  He  did  not  return  to  his 
lodging  at  Beckenham  after  this,  nor  should  I  have 
met  him  again,  had  I  not  gone  to  see  a  fresh  detach- 
ment of  the  corps  which  had  come  for  payment  to  the 
Crystal  Palace  upon  their  arrival  in  England.  Poor 
T B was  lingering  about,  but  retreated  out- 
side the  crowd  when  he  saw  I  had  noticed  him.     I 

followed.     ''  Oh,  T ,  I  have  been  in  great  trouble 

about  you.  Are  you  not  coming  back  to  Beckenham  ?" 

"  No !  I  came  there  for  my  soul's  sake,  and  then 
up  here  for  its  ruin.  The  devil  has  got  hold  of  me 
at  them  lot  of  gin-shops  down  yon,  and  now  I  'm 
going  away  as  far  off  as  I  can." 

With  some  difficulty  he  was  persuaded  into  a  pro- 
mise to  spend  the  next  day,  Sunday,  in  Beckenham, 
and  to  come  to  the  Rectory  before  church.  His  peni- 
tence was  very  affecting.  But  was  this  to  be  the  end 
of  his  wish  "  to  live  and  die  in  Beckenham"?  We 
could  hardly  bear  it. 


292  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

Young  William  E stood  outside  tlie  Eectory 

gate,  waiting  for  a  recognition  and  a  word  from  us  on 
our  way  to  church.     I  called  him  aside,  and  told  him 

my  trouble.     T had  been  a  mate  of  his  when  the 

Army  Works  Corps  was  assembling  for  the  Crimea. 
They  used  to  drink  together  then !  After  church, 
Yv^illiam  came  to  me,  his  countenance  radiant  with 
an  idea.  "  I  couldn't  help  thinking  on  't  in  church, 
and  praying,  too.  I  '11  take  him  to  my  ganger,  and 
get  him  to  give  him  work  alongside  of  me.  He  wants 
a  helping  hand.  And  he  shall  lodge  along  o'  me. 
And  he  '11  be  at  our  prayers  of  nights ;  and  at 
them  readings  of  yourn,  whenever  work  's  over 
sharp  enough  for  us  to  get  in  time  for  them  from 
Penge." 

"Oh,  William,  God  bless  you!" 

From  that  time,  for  a  fortnight,  all  went  on  delight- 
fully.    Then  I  missed  both  for  four  days.     After  one 

of  the  readings,  I  saw  William  E 's  bright  young 

face  overclouded.  He  wanted  to  see  me  alone,  but 
could  not  speak.     "  What  of  T ,  William '?  " 

He  turned  his  head  away,  with  a  burst  of  tears. 
In  a  minute  or  two,  recovering  himself  he  said, 
"We  had  been  so  happy,  and  he  seemed  to  love 
reading  the  Bible  and  praying  along  of  me.  But  last 
Friday  he  met  some  of  the  old  mates,  and  they  treated 
him,  and  he  never  came  back.  I  've  been  all  about 
the  country  these  three  days,  looking  for  him ;  but 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  293 

he  's  gone  right  off;  and  you  '11  be  so  disappointed; 
and,  what 's  worse,  he 's  away  from  his  God  again." 

This  came  out,  sentence  by  sentence,  with  a  sob 
between  each.  I  never  saw  that  fine  young  man 
shew  half  so  much  feeling  for  himself,  when  he  was 
unjustly    imprisoned.       Some    time    afterwards    he 

heard  of  T on  a  distant  line,  and  went  off  to 

work  there,  in  the  hope  of  being  again  a  helper  to 

him.     God  gave  him  his  heart's  desire.     T has 

become  a  sober  and  steady  man,  and,  I  trust,  a  real 
Christian,  by  the  grace  of  God. 

Many  of  the  men,  after  receiving  their  savings,  or 
whatever  portion  they  chose  to  have  at  first,  came 
again  from  some  distance  for  one  of  the  cottage  read- 
ings. George  K ,  an  honest,  simple,  noble  spe- 
cimen of  an  English  labourer,  came  from  Stratford, 
in  Essex,  on  a  Monday,  with  this  intent,  and  finding 
the  reading  was  not  till  Tuesday,  went  back  again, 
and  returned  the  next  day.  He  seemed  to  be  "  fol- 
lowing the  Lord  fully."  A  few  days  afterwards  he 
sailed  for  Australia.  He  begged  to  be  allowed  to 
leave  a  portion  of  the  interest  of  his  savings  for  the 
Bible  Society,  as  did  many  others. 

Alfred  H said  that  he  had  been  ill  for  many 

months  after  he  landed  in  the  Crimea.  "  When 
I  went  into  hospital,  and  was  laid  on  my  bed^  day 
after  day,  thinking  each  would  be  my  last,  God  re- 
minded me  of  all  I  had  heard  in  Beckenham.     I 


294  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

believe  I  did  come  to  Jesns  then,  and  that  He  has 
kept  me  hard  by  Him  ever  since." 

"  And  do  you  pray  much  for  grace  to  live  as  a 
Christian?" 

"  I  do  pray ;  and  God  does  help  me.  He  has  made 
me  give  up  drinking.  I  don't  believe  I  've  spent  one 
penny  in  drink  since  I  stepped  ashore  in  the  Crimea." 

George  S gave  much  the  same  sort  of  account 

of  himself,  excepting  tlie  illness.  He  said  that  on 
the  day  of  hearing  the  farewell  words  on  board  the 
Berwick^  he  had  pledged  himself  to  his  God,  and  that 
his  God  had  kept  him  ever  since,  and  prospered  him, 
too,  on  every  side.  His  savings  were  partially  ex- 
pended on  the  purchase  of  a  green-grocery  business. 

James  G was  one  of  the  few  men  out  of  the 

whole  number  who  caused  us  distress,  by  coming  in 
a  state  of  drunkenness.  Five  times  in  one  week  he 
came  in  the  same  condition ;  silly,  yet  always  respect- 
ful and  obliging.  Each  time  I  refused  to  give  him 
his  money  until  he  could  come  for  it  perfectly  sober. 
The  sixth  time  he  was  himself.  Then  I  spoke  to  him 
earnestly.  He  said,  after  a  little  while,  "Don't  go 
on.  Missus;  you'll  make  me  cry." 

This  alarm  was  not  suflficient  to  deter  me.  Finally, 
he  did  cry,  and  promised,  by  God's  help,  to  give  up 
drinking.  I  believed  he  would,  because  he  joined  in 
prayer  so  solemnly  and  earnestly.  A  week  afterwards 
he  came  again,  looking  very  much  more  of  a  man, 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  299 

but  pale  almost  to  illness.  He  had  not  tasted  beer 
or  any  other  intoxicating  liquor  for  seven  days.  A 
steady,  respectable  man,  who  came  with  him,  said, 
*'I  lodge  in  the  same  house,  and  have  seen  his 
mates  persuading  of  him.  But  it's  no  use.  He 
won't  touch  a  drop.  He  says  he  has  promised  his 
God  and  promised  you,  and  he  '11  keep  to  it." 

He  went  down  to  his  father's  house,  in  Norfolk, 
the  next  day,  and  we  have  never  seen  him  since, 
God  grant  him  grace  to  "  hold  on  his  way." 

An  Irish  Roman  Catholic,  named  Dennis  M , 

had  long  won  our  esteem  by  his  generosity  to  a  con- 
sumptive brother-in-law,  to  whom  he  transmitted  the 
larger  portion  of  his  savings.  He  called  for  the  re- 
mainder, which  proved  to  be  only  the  sum  of  £8, 15s. 
With  less  hesitation  and  shyness  than  it  had  cost 
our  fine  young  Highlander  to  make  a  similar  request, 
he  earnestly  besought  us  to  "  accept  of  a  sovereign." 
^'  What !  Dennis,  do  you  think  we  would  lessen 
your  store,  and  after  all  your  generous  kindness  to 
your  poor  brother-in-law?  " 

"  Ah,  then,  lady  dear,  but  I  should  be  so  happy 
if  you  and  the  young  lady  that  has  done  so  much 
would  take  the  pound  for  your  throuble." 

It  was  with  difiiculty  we  could  convince  him  that 
the  thing  was  impossible.  But  with  a  love  of  giving 
which  would  not  be  overcome,  and  a  delicacy  that 
forebore  to  press  a  matter  painfully,  that  man,  with  a 


296  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

royal  heart  under  a  ragged  coat,  sent  back  a  crown 
piece,  for  "  getting  Bibles  for  poor  souls  like  him, 
because  his  own  Bible  that  was  given  him  at  Becken- 
ham,  had  spoken  many  a  beautiful  word  to  him  when 
he  was  far  away ;  and  he  would  never  give  it  up,  no, 
never !  " 

Jack  B brought  his  brother-in-law  and  his 

niece  for  the  remainder  of  his  money,  which  was  to 
be  settled  upon  the  young  girl.  "  Now  I  've  got  rid 
of  it  all,  and  I  'm  going  to  sea  again.  I  was  born  and 
bred  a  sailor,  and  don't  like  digging  the  earth  so  well 
as  ploughing  the  sea,  by  half." 

The  only  part  of  his  property  which  he  retained 
was  his  Testament  with  the  "  Soldier's  Prayer." 
"  That  shall  go  with  me  over  the  world,  and  I  '11  pray 
that  little  prayer  when  I  'm  aloft." 

As  we  walked  up  the  village  an  hour  afterwards, 
we  caught  a  view  of  ^'  Jack,"  his  brother,  and  the 
little  niece,  in  a  grocer's  shop.  Jack  shouted  from  it, 
"  Oh !  ma'am,  here  we  are !  eating  bread  and  cheese. 
I  would  not  have  you  catch  me  in  a  public-house  for 
any  money." 

We  found  afterwards  that  they  had  declined  the 
coffee  and  cake  provided  at  the  coachman's  house  by 
the  Eectory  gate,  for  all  the  Army  Works  Corps  men 
who  came  from  a  distance,  considering  that,  as  two  of 
the  three  were  not  belonging  to  the  Corps,  it  would  be 
"imposing"  to  accept  it. 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  297 

The  coachman's  wife  remarked  to  me,  that  the  thing 
which  touched  her  heart  the  most,  about  the  majority 
of  those  whom  she  thus  entertained,  was  their  delight 
in  seeing  little  children  again,  after  having  only  seen 
^'  grown  men  "  for  so  many  months.  They  w\itched 
the  gnmbols  of  her  own  little  boy,  and  of  my  sister's 
little  son,  upon  the  lawn,  and  said,  "  They  looks  like 
angels  to  us,  after  camp  life  in  the  Crimea." 

Alexander  S and  Andrew   M gave  us 

great  satisfaction.  They  were  two  of  the  Scotchmen 
who  had  written  a  letter  nobly  characteristic  of  their 
Bible-honouring  country,  in  thaf  its  purport  was  to 
thank  me  for  "  having  taught  them  nothing  without 
appealing  to  the  Word  of  God  to  prove  it." 

These  men  were  strong,  intelligent,  and  affection- 
ate-hearted. Alexander  had  £40  in  our  hands,  and 
said  ''  he  was  going  home,  and  would  send  for  it." 

"  And  where  is  your  home? " 

"  Scotland." 

"  Whereabouts  in  Scotland?" 

"  Nowhere !  I  have  no  other  home  than  the 
country. ^^ 

'-''  We  are  going  to  Scotland  this  autumn,  God  will- 
ing. If  either  of  you  should  chance  to  see  me,  and  I 
should  not  have  seen  you,  you  will  come  and  shake 
hands  with  me." 

^^  Would  we  not?"  with  a  short,  quiet  laugh  ot 
surprise,  at  the  request  being  supposed  to  be  neces- 


298  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

saiy.  "We  would  walk  twenty  miles  to  see  ye. 
None  of  the  men  of  the  Corps  thanked  God  for  ye 
mair  than  the  Scotch." 

"  Oh,  Alexander !  did  you  read  your  Bibles,  and  try 
to  live  as  the  Word  of  God  told  you?" 

"  We  did  try,  and  often  thought  of  the  words  you 
used  to  say;  and  read,  and  prayed,  and  sang  psalms 
amongst  ourselves." 

This  man  begged  to  leave  the  interest  of  his  savings 
for  the  Bible  Society.  Andrew  had  no  money  to 
receive  from  us,  having  left  his  allotment  paper  with 
his  relatives. 

On  the  following  Monday  morning  six  men,  all 
more  or  less  intoxicate  1,  caiiie  to  the  Rectory.    Only 

one  of  them,  poor  John  W ,  liad  laid  by  money 

with  us ;  but  the  chief  speaker,  Edward  W r,  a 

"  rough  and  ready"  Lancashire  man,  was  vehement  in 
insisting  that  I  should  immediately  give  £10  to  John 

W ,  which  it  was  clear  they  all  intended  to  share. 

I  said  it  was  my  rule  to  give  no  man  his  money 
without  first  seeing  his  Army  Works  Corps'  Engage- 
ment Paper;  nor  would  I,  even  then,  give  him  his 
money  unless  he  came  sober.  After  some  little  time, 
seeing  that  I  was  determined,  they  gave  up  ilie  point, 

John  W saying,  "  Take  care  what  you  say  to 

she — her's  been  very  kind  to  me."  The  poor  fellow 
remembered,  even  in  his  half-senseless  state,  that  I 
had  paid  his  fine  of  10s.  when  he  was  imprisoned 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  29^ 

for  drinking,  that  he  might  be  set  free  in  time  to  go  to' 
the  Crimea.  He  gave  himself  no  rest  till  he  had  re- 
paid the  money.  Before  they  went  away,  I  said  to 
them,  "It  would  have  been  well  if  you  had  all  laid  by 
money,  instead  of  lavishing  it  on  drink  in  the  Crimea; 
but  what  is  worse  than  wasting  your  money,  you.  are 
selling  an  eternal  inheritance  for  a  few  miserable  mugs 
of  beer.  And  even  if  you  sold  it  for  a  life  of  honours 
and  pleasures,  ^  What  shall  it  profit  a  man  if  he  gain 
the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul ;  or  what  shall 
a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul?'" 

I  spoke  thus  solemnly  to  them  for  a  few  moments, 
and  one  by  one  they  turned  half  round  on  the  bench 
on  which  they  were  sitting,  and  laid  their  hcad^  on 

the  hall  table,  and  wept.     Edward  W made  an 

ineffectual  effort  to  get  at  the  table,  but  it  was  too 
full,  so  he  turned  and  w^alked  away  to  hide  his 
tears. 

On  Tuesday  they  all  came  again,  sober,  but  with- 
out the  Engagement  Paper.     Edward  W had 

resumed  his  resolute  bearing,  eyed  me  firmly,  and 
said,  they  would  not  stir  without  the  £10,  I  felt  it 
absolutely  necessary  to  be  firm,  for  although  I  well 

remembered    poor    John   W ,   it   was   essential 

strictly  to  observe  the  rule  made  of  never  giving  up 
any  money  committed  to  my  keeping,  without  the 
proof  of  identity  afforded  by  the  Engagement  Paper. 
I  therefore  answered  quietly,  but  in  terms  which  I 


300  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

knew  they  would  understand,  that  "  if  the  3800  men 
of  the  Army  Works  Corps  were  to  come  and  to  in- 
sist on  my  breaking  a  rule  which  was  made  for  the 
real  interest  of  the  men  who  laid  by  their  wages  with 
me,  I  would  not  give  them  one  farthing  if  they  waited 
till  Christmas  for  it."  I  then  left  them,  and  from  an 
adjoining  room  heard  Edward  say,  ''  D'ye  'ear,  she 's 
made  up  'ur  mind — there  '11  be  no  turning  she." 

They  were  now  anxious  to  go  and  fetch  the  paper, 
which  had  been  left  in  London;  so,  finding  they  had 
no  money  left,  I  lent  them  a  couple  of  shillings,  and, 
after  giving  them  some  bread  and  meat,  sent  them 
away.  About  four  o'clock  they  returned.  Poor  John 
consented  to  leave  £20  of  his  money  in  my  hands  for 
a  time,  and  carefully  reminded  me  of  every  shilling 
which  had  been  lent  him,  that  it  might  be  withdrawn 
from  the  sum  which  was  to  be  paid  to  him  at  once. 
Whilst  his  companions  surveyed  his  treasure,  I  said 
to  them,  "You  see  what  a  good  thing  it  is  to  lay  by 
your  money  instead  of  spending  it  recklessly." 

"Yes,"  said  Edward,  "if  I  had  laid  by  I  might 
have  had  enough  to  have  bought  a  wife  with." 

"  If  a  woman  is  to  be  bought,  Edward,  she  is  not 
worth  having." 

"  Ah !  that 's  true ;  and  Solomon  says  they  are  all 
vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit.'* 

"  That  was  said  of  all  the  things  of  this  world,  not 
of  wives  only." 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  301 

"  Oh !  SO  it  were,  and  I  learnt  a  proverb  at  school 
which  said  a  good  wife  is  from  the  Lord." 

"  Well,  then,  you  must  serve  the  Lord,  Edward, 
if  you  want  His  good  gifts." 

I  then  said  a  few  earnest  words  to  them  all.  As 
we  prayed,  Edward  was  again  overcome,  and  rising 
from  his  knees,  went  towards  the  door,  but  whilst 
endeavouring  to  open  it,  in  his  agitation  he  bolted  it, 
and  so  knelt  down  again,  leaning  his  head  against  the 
panel,  and  sobbing  like  a  child.  They  were  all  as 
humble  and  grateful  as  children  when  they  went 
away. 

I  must  add  that  this  was  the  only  instance  in 
which  I  have  met  with  any  failure  in  the  utmost 
civility  and  gentleness  of  demeanour. 

One  Sunday,  Eichard  T ,  the  hero  who  was 

^'  greater  than  he  that  taketh  a  city,"  on  the  occasion 
of  the  Penge  fight,  appeared  at  Beckenham  Church 
in  a  fine  suit  of  black  cloth  and  a  flaming  red  velvet 
waistcoat.  In  the  afternoon  he  came  to  the  Kectory, 
and  we  found  him  as  strong,  and  simple,  and  warm 
of  heart  as  ever.  By  God's  grace  he  had  stood  his 
ground,  and  had  brought  back  a  high  character  for 
steadiness  and  excellence  of  conduct.  He  shewed  me 
a  charming  letter  from  his  wife  which  was  worn 
about  his  heart.  His  mate,  James  H ,  had  re- 
turned with  him,  and  was  speaking  on  Saturday 
night  with  great  joy  of  being  up  with  the  lark  on 


302  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

Sunday  to  go  down  to  Beckenham;  lie  didn't  "know 
a  pleasanter  place/'  he  said,  "  or  a  better  friend."  A 
little  while  afterwards  he  fell  back  upon  his  chair  in 
a  fit,  and  never  spoke  again.  Every  book  and  letter 
which  he  had  received  from  Beckenham  were  found 
about  his  person  after  his  death.  Richard  said  he 
had  been  a  steady  man,  and  loved  his  books ;  more 
than  that  he  could  not  tell  me.  But  I  hope  he  went 
on  that  Sabbath  morning  to  a  "pleasanter  place"  than 
Beckenham,  to  find  "a  Better  Friend"  indeed  than 
any  poor  mortal  one. 

A  day  or  two  afterwards  there  stood  in  the  hall, 
head  and  shoulders  above  the  crowd,  a  huge  Irish- 
man. There  was  no  forgetting  the  kindly  heartiness 
of  his  smile.     "  Welcome  home,  Peter  F ." 

"  Och  now,  she  reniimlers  me,  bless  her  sowl." 

"You  are  come  for  your  savings,  Peter,  and  I 
think  we  have  nearly  £50  for  you." 

"  Not  a  bit  for  the  money  to-day,  but  for  the  plea- 
sure of  seeing  ye 're  alive.  Then,  lady  dear,  I'm  going 
to  lodge  in  the  village  a  day  or  so." 

The  next  evening  I  called  at  his  lodgings  to  give 
notice  of  a  "reading"  next  door.  He  was  just  sit- 
ting down  to  a  smoking  hot  supper.  "  You  must  not 
come  till  you  have  done  justice  to  that  hot  pie,  Peter." 

But  in  two  minutes  he  was  on  one  of  the  benches 
before  me.  "  Oh,  Peter,  you  have  left  your  supper 
unfinished.'* 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  303 

*'Aud  wasn't  it  fitting  I  should  when  you  were 
going  to  speak  for  our  sowls,  lady  ?  " 

The  next  day  he  called  for  a  small  portion  of  his 
money,  requesting  us  to  send  the  rest  after  him  to 
Ireland.  lie  had  worn  out  the  binding  of  his  Testa- 
ment, so  I  gave  him  a  pocket  Bible.  It  so  happened 
that  I  had  never  asked  him  if  he  were  a  Protestant 
or  a  Roman  Catholic;  in  fact,  a  single  question  on 
the  subject  would,  I  believe,  have  frightened  away 
some  of  my  Irish  friends.  But  whilst  speaking  of 
the  commandments,  in  this  conversation,  I  quoted 
the  second,  of  which  he  had  never  heard.  After  he 
had  shewn  me  his  Catechism,  in  which  it  was  omitted, 
with  another  commandment  divided  into  two  to  make 
the  number  correct,  I  just  said,  "  When  you  are  in 
Ireland,  perhaps  you  "will  see  graven  images  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Do  not  worship  them.  Look  above 
them — up  to  the  Living  Man  in  Leaven,  the  God- 
man,  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour." 

"  I  've  thought  more  of  Him  and  less  of  therrij''  he 
said,  '^  since  I  read  that  little  Testament  you  gave  me. 
Often  IVe  blessed  it,  and  you  too.  I  brought  ye 
some  beautiful  pictures  home,  but  they  were  stolen 
with  my  kit  as  we  landed.  But  IVe  one  pretty 
thing  left,  I  bought  it  at  Malta,"  and  he  slowly  drew 
out  of  his  pocket  a  little  silver  crucifix ;  "  you  must 
have  that." 

"  Oh  no,  Peter,  T  could  not  take  it;  it  is  too  costly." 


dM  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

'^  No,  lady,  I  did  not  pay  mucli  for  it,  and  you  had 
better  take  it — you  had  hettery 

"Why  had  I  better  take  it,  Peter?" 

"It  is  safer  with  you.  You  will  not  worship  it. 
Perhaps  I  should." 

I  marked  the  effort  of  a  struggling  conviction,  and 
thought  of  the  words,  "  Ye  have  turned  to  God  from 
idols."  I  took  it,  with  tears  in  my  eyes,  from  the 
great  trembling  hand ;  "  Peter,  each  time  I  see  this, 
I  shall  look  up  to  heaven  and  pray,   ^  Lord  Jesus, 

help    Peter   F to   worship    Thee,    Thine  own 

blessed  self,  and  not  a  graven  image.'  " 

A  little  more  conversation  followed,  and  then  I 
told  him  of  Cardinal  Bellarmine's  dying  words, 
when  prayers  to  the  Virgin  had  been  said  for  him, 
"It  is  safest  to  trust  hi  Jesus." 

After  he  had  gone  away,  his  little  crucifix  weighed 
heavily  on  my  heart.  It  was  "not  safe"  for  him  to 
keep  it,  he  had  said.  But  what  had  he  left  that 
could  refine  his  taste,  or  be  associated  with  softened 
feeling?  Something  he  must  have  to  make  a  little 
treasure  of.  A  silver  pencil,  with  an  onyx-stone  seal,^ 
was  on  my  desk,  and  a  carved  ivory  box  for  its  case. 
It  was  the  sort  of  thing  to  remind  him  of  our  conver- 
sation, and  of  the  marked  texts  in  his  Bible.  So  I 
hastened  througli  the  village  in  the  hope  of  finding 
him  still  at  his  lodgings.  He  stood  at  the  door, 
and  I  put  the  pencil-case  into  his  hand.      It  was 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  305 

delightful  to  see  his  look  of  astonishment  and  plea- 
sure. 

^*  Did  you  walk  so  fast  and  come  here  out  of  breath 
to  bring  this  for  me?  " 

Then  he  held  up  the  pencil-case  delicately  with  the 
tip  of  his  great  finger  and  thumb,  as  if  fearful  of 
crushing  it ;  and  after  a  pause  added,  "  It  shall  be 
buried  with  me." 

I  knelt  down  in  the  cottage,  and  prayed  that  God 
would  give  him  a  living  faith  in  a  living  Saviour,  and 
keep  him  worshipping,  serving,  and  trusting  in  Him 
only.  As  we  parted,  he  said,  "  I  have  never  forgot- 
ten my  kind  dead  father,  and  I  '11  never  forget  you 
to  my  dying  day." 

"  Nor  my  last  words  to  you  at  the  Rectory,  Peter  ? 
Those  are  what  I  want  you  to  remember." 

"  How  can  I  think  of  you,  lady,  and  not  remember 
them?    It  is  safest  to  trust  in  Jesus." 

He  wrote  afterwards  for  his  money  that  he  might 
be  able  to  go  to  America;  since  then  we  have  never 
heard  of  him.  God  grant  we  may  see  him  again,  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  King  ! 

A  Prussian,  who  had  left  his  money-order  with  us 
in  the  previous  autumn,  after  hearing  some  of  the  men 
of  the  Corps  speak  of  us,  came  for  his  savings,  and  to 
inquire  for  a  German  Bible  which  Mr  Chalmers  had 
procured  for  him  then,  but  which  had  failed  to  reach 
him.    He  was  greatly  pleased  with  it.    After  receiving 

V 


306  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

liis  draft,  lie  said  in  broken  English,  "  You  liave  taken 
great  trouble  about  my  moneys,  and  I  cannot  recom- 
pense you,  ladies,  and  you  would  not  receive  a  recom- 
pense. But  will  you  grant  me  the  favour  to  spend 
a  sovereign  for  me  on  the  poorest  old  person  you  know 
in  your  village?" 

I  said,  "  Not  a  sovereign.  It  is  too  much  out  of 
your  small  capital.  But  if  you  like  to  give  five 
shillings  to  the  poor,  as  a  thank-offering  to  God  for 
your  preservation,  I  will  do  with  it  as  you  direct." 

"  Ah,  madam,  take  ten  shillings." 

"  No,  not  ten.     Five." 

He  laid  them  down;  and  then  quietly  slipped  a 
third  half-crown  under  the  two,  as  he  walked  away, 
blessing  us  in  broken  English. 

It  was  to  the  kind  though tfulness  of  Mr  Parrott, 
the  chief  agent  at  the  office  for  the  Army  Works 
Corps  in  London,  that  we  owed  our  being  enabled  to 
see  almost  all  the  men  who  returned,  whether  tliey 
came  to  the  Kectory  or  not.  Notice  was  given  us  of 
the  hour  of  their  rendezvous  at  the  old  spot,  in  the 
Crystal  Palace  grounds  ;  and  very  pleasant  were  those 
short  meetings.  Once,  and  once  only,  the  notice  did 
not  reach  us  in  time.  We  were  told  afterwards  that 
the  three  hundred  men  who  came  that  day  lingered 
for  some  hours,  watching  each  carriage  which  came 
to  the  Crystal  Palace,  and  often  shouting  as  one  came 
in  sight,  "  There  they  be,  at  last."     It  was  a  grievous 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  307 

thing,  never  to  be  able  to  tell  them  how  it  was  that 
they  were  unconsciously  neglectiid  ;  nor  how  often 
they  have  been  prayed  for  since — perhaps  with  double 
earnestness,  because  no  little  farewell  charge  was  given 
to  them  as  to  the  others. 

The  men  who  had  returned  in  the  Tynemouth 
were  charmed  to  hear  the  delightful  testimony  to  their 
good  conduct  borne  by  Captain  Stewart's  letter  to 
the  TtmeSj  which  I  read  aloud  to  them,  suggesting, 
if  it  was  so  pleasant  to  know  that  all  England  was 
reading  this  testimony  in  their  favour,  how  over- 
whelming would  be  their  gratitude  and  joy  when  they 
heard  the  King  of  glory  own  them,  before  an  assem- 
bled universe,  as  those  who  had  "confessed  Him 
before  men."  There  was  an  earnest  Amen  from  many 
voices,  as  I  said,  "  God,  of  His  grace,  grant  it  to  be 
Slid  of  every  one  of  you." 

The  next  day  was  the  pay-day  for  the  carpenters 
of  the  Corps.  We  had  a  good  deal  of  conversation 
together.  They  were,  for  the  most  part,  "  radical 
reformers;*'  and  alluded  to  the  want  of  sympathy 
between  the  different  classes  of  society,  with  some 
bitterness. 

I  admitted  that  there  was  an  absence  of  it  too  gene- 
rally, simply  because  they  did  not  know  one  another ; 
adding  that  if  they  were  to  meet  more  frequently, 
nnd  with  more  confidence  in  each  other,  they  would 
soon  find  what  cordial  friendships  could  be  formed 


308  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

without  losing  their  position  on  either  side — positions 
made  "by  the  providence  of  God,  and  which,  in  their 
very  variations,  made  the  strength  and  excellence  of 
Great  Britain.  After  talking  this  over  together,  quietly 
and  amicably,  I  said,  ^'  Let  us  never  forget  that  there 
was  One  of  Koyal  Birth,  who  for  sympathy's  sake  be- 
came a  working  man,  in  the  days  when  working  men 
had  their  wages  reduced  by  fraud  or  seized  by  violence, 
and  dwelt  with  his  foster-father,  a  carpenter,  and  was 
^  subject  unto  him.' "  A  few  more  words  touching 
His  sorrows,  and  His  suflferings  unto  death,  were 
listened  to  with  feeling  earnestness, — and  then  those 
words  of  living  power,  "Now  then,  as  ambassadors 
for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us ;  we 
pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God," 
seemed  almost  to  startle  them  into  a  resolution  to 
live  with  a  new  aim.  Many  a  hand  was  stretched 
out  to  mine  from  every  side,  with  the  simple  words, 
or  others  of  like  import,  "  I  '11  try  to  do  it,  and  to  get 
others  along  with  me,  if  God  will  help  me." 

Amongst  all  the  men  who  had  left  their  money- 
orders  with  us,  there  were  not  more  than  six  to  whom 
we  gave  up  their  savings  with  the  fear  that  they 
would  be  imprudently  or  improperly  spent.  Nearly 
all  the  others  took  time  to  consider  in  what  manner 
they  should  invest  their  fortunes ;  and  most  of  them 
consulted  us  about  the  mode  of  investment,  in  the 
most  confiding  manner.     Tn   one   and  all  we  met 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  309 

with  cordial  gratitude,  variously  expressed.  Many- 
seemed  to  take  delight  in  recalling  each  little 
act  of  kindness  shewn  them  before  they  went  out. 
Frequent  allusion  was  made  to  the  sums  of  money 
which  had  been  advanced  to  all  who  required  it,  for 
the  purchase  of  a  few  comforts  for  their  wardrobe, 
beyond  the  outfit  provided  by  Government.  The 
repayment  of  these  loans  was  secured  by  their  leaving 
their  money-orders  with  us,  involving  only  the  risk 
of  desertion  or  of  death  before  their  wages  were  due. 
Two  deaths  occurred,  but  no  desertion,  before  these 
debts  were  repaid.* 

We  were  enabled  to  carry  out  on  a  liberal  scale  the 
plan  of  advancing  these  loans  upon  the  money-orders, 
by  the  thoughtful  benevolence  of  one  whose  sun  has 
gone  down  while  it  was  yet  day,  the  lamented  SiR 
Henry  Lawrence. 

Of  the  public  character  of  this  great  and  good  man, 
it  is  not  for  me  to  speak.  The  highest  in  authority 
have  borne  testimony  to  the  energy  and  wisdom  with 
which  he  ruled  a  vast  province.     Those  who  served 

•  Later  in  the  period  of  the  engagement,  one  of  these  men  deserted. 
He  was  the  only  real  navvy  whom  I  have  ever  known  to  be  a  systematic 
beggar.  He  has  since  traded  with  an  old  letter  of  mine,  from  which  he 
had  torn  off  a  reproof  for  drunkenness,  retaining  only  the  part  which 
contained  good  advice.  On  the  strength  of  this  letter,  he  has  **  bor- 
rowed," far  and  wide,  "  money  for  a  shovel  to  go  to  work  with  next  day," 
to  an  amount  sufficient  to  stock  all  the  honest  navvies  on  an  average 
length  of  line.  He  is  an  athletic,  gigantic  man,  possessed  of  great  readi- 
ness of  speech. 


310  THE  WELCOME  HOME 

under  him  and  knew  him  best,  describe  him  as  a 
chivah-ous  soldier,  a  dignified  commander,  a  steadfast 
friend,  a  generous  and  forgiving  foe — in  a  word,  the 
Bayard  of  the  camp,  "  Sans  peur  et  sans  reproche." 

My  record  is  of  the  warm  heart  and  open  hand 
that,  amidst  all  the  cares  of  his  high  station,  and  his 
own  extensive  schemes  of  benevolence,  could  yet  lend 
aid  to  these  distant  and  humble  labours  of  ours. 
No  sooner  had  he  heard  of  the  plan  of  inducing 
the  men  of  the  first  detachment  of  the  Army  Works 
Corps  to  lay  by  a  portion  of  their  wages,  than  he 
sent  over  a  hundred  pounds  to  make  a  temporary 
loan-fund  for  the  rest.  A  portion  of  this,  when  re- 
paid, was  to  be  expended  upon  any  cases  of  peculiar 
distress  amongst  the  sick,  the  widows,  and  the 
orphans;  whilst  the  remainder  was  to  be  added  to 
the  large  contribution  he  had  akeady  sent  for  the 
relief  of  wounded  Crimean  soldiers. 

A  few  words  of  his  own  w411  reveal  the  spring  of 
this  world-wide  benevolence.  They  are  quoted  from 
a  letter  written  by  him  on  his  way  to  Oude,  when,  at 
the  earnest  entreaty  of  the  Governor-General,  he  had 
undertaken  to  restore  that  province  to  order;  urgently 
tliough  his  failing  health  demanded  a  return  to  Eng- 
land for  a  season: — 

"  The  texts  you  have  chosen,  as  prayers  for  the 
year,  are  most  applicable  to  myself;  for,  indeed^  I 
need   to  have  my  iniquities  blotted  out;  to  have  a 


THE  WELCOME  HOME.  311 

clean  heart  and  a  renewed  spirit.  I  want,  also,  both 
thankfulness  and  trust.  Above  all,  I  want  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  more  faith  in  Jesus.  And  I  want  to  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily 
beset  me,  and  to  run  with  patience  the  race  which  is 
set  before  me,  looking  unto  Jesus,  the  Author  and 
Finisher  of  my  faith. 

"  Most  gladly  do  I  share  your  prayer  for  the  year 
and  for  life;  and  much,  very  much,  do  I  need  your 
own  and  your  dear  and  honoured  father's  prayers ; 
and  especially  at  this  time,  when  I  have  a  new  and 
arduous  field  before  me — a  Sebastopol  of  civil  life — 
an  Augean  stable  of  strife  and  contention  to  cleanse ; 
and,  I  trust,  a  reign  of  tranquillity  and  good-will  to 
substitute. 

"  I  go,"  he  adds,  in  the  trae  spirit  of  an  English- 
man, "  simply  and  entirely  because  it  is  ray  duty  to 
go.  The  province  of  Oude  contains  the  homes  of  a 
hundred  thousand  of  our  native  soldiers,  and  much  of 
the  future  morale  of  the  Bengal  army  may  depend 
upon  the  government  of  that  province.  I  go  thither 
as  a  peace-maker.  And  as  I  succeeded  in  the  Pun- 
jab, I  feel  sure  that,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  I  shall 
succeed  there." 

"  Blessed  are  the  peace-makers,  for  they  shall  be 
called  the  children  of  GOD." 

Of  such  was  Henry  LawTcnce,  whose  bright  exam- 
ple will  long  animate  the  earnest  and  the  brave.    Shall 


312  THE  WELCOME  HOME. 

-we  speak  of  the  fame  he  had  won,  of  the  hoiioura 
which,  with  prolonged  life,  would  have  awaited  him? 
It  is  a  light  thing  that  he  stood  before  kings  on  earthy 
for  now  he  has  seen  "  The  King  in  His  beauty,"  and 
realised  another  promise,  "Blessed  are  the  Pure  in 
heart,  for  they  shall  see  GoD." 


CHAPTER  XX. 


"Then  was  Christian  glad  and  lightsome,  and  said  with  %  merrf 
heart.  He  hath  given  me  rest  by  His  gorrow,  and  life  by  His  deafch." 


ay  THX 


"Whilst  the  new  line  of  railway  was  in  process  of 
making  through  the  East  of  Kent,  a  few  gentlemen 
residing  in  its  locality  felt  desirous  of  promoting  the 
spiritual  benefit  of  the  men  Avho  came  from  different 
quarters  of  the  country  to  work  there.  Mr  Munn  of 
Throwley  House,  near  Feversham,  was  one  of  the  most 
zealous  promoters  of  the  plan  of  employing  a  Scrip- 
ture reader,  besides  himself  giving,  in  conjunction 
with  other  gentlemen  amongst  both  clergy  and  laity, 
several  lectures  upon  scientific  and  improving  topics, 
blended  with  religious  instruction.  He  wrote  to  re- 
quest us  to  recommend  to  him  a  Scripture  reader,  who 
thoroughly  knew  navvy  life  and  character,  besides 
being  well  qualified  for  so  holy  a  calling.  It  occurred 
to  us  to  mention  one  of  our  first  friends  amongst  the 
navvies,  known  to  us  from  the  early  Crystal  Pal  ace  days, 
of  whose  steadfast  course  we  had  continued  to  hear  from 
time  to  time  with  thankful  joy.  When  Mr  Munn  had 
heard  of  his  character  and  qualifications,  he  requested 
me  to  write  to  this  young  man  and  offer  the  situation. 
His  reply  was  to  the  effect  that,  "  after  taking  three 


316         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART. 

days  prayerfully  to  consider  the  proposal,  he  thought 
it  his  duty  to  decline  it,  as  there  must  be  so  many 
men,"  he  said,  "  better  qualified  than  he  for  such  an 
office.  But  that  as  the  providence  of  God  seemed  to 
call  him,  by  this  offer,  to  labour  for  souls  in  that 
neighbourhood,  he  would  throw  up  his  work  near 
Liverpool,  and  go  across  the  country  to  the  East  Kent 
line,  in  order  to  help  the  Scripture  reader  gratis,  after 
the  hours  of  work  each  day,  and  between  the  hours  for 
Divine  service  on  Sunday." 

On  reading  this  letter,  Mr  Munn  commissioned  me 
to  press  upon  this  disinterested  young  man  his  first 
proposal.  Again  he  delayed  until  he  had  taken  time 
for  consulting  his  God  in  prayer.  And  then  he  went 
to  his  work  in  a  spirit  thus  described  by  Mr  Munn, 
five  or  six  months  later  : — "  Dear  William  continues 
steadily  and  earnestly  working  for  God.  His  humble, 
cheerful,  earnest  piety  refreshes  my  own  soul  each 
time  I  commune  w^ith  him ;  and  his  simple  faith 
seems  to  overcome  all  difficulties." 

Perhaps  it  was  to  engage  in  this  blessed  work  that 
he  was  kept  from  going  to  Australia  in  1853. 

The  following  letter  is  chosen  from  several  of  equal 
interest,  because  it  enters  into  the  details  of  his  mode 
of  working  amongst  the  men : — 

*'  Jan.  12th,  1857. 

"  Dear  Madam, — I  received  your  kind  letter,  & 
was  very  thankful  to  hear  your  revered  &  dear  Father 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART.         317 

was  recovering,  &  I  join  you  in  thanks  to  God  for  so 
great  a  blessing,  &  I  prav  God,  if  it  shall  be  His 
blessed  will,  he  may  be  long  given  you  &  the  people 
of  Beckenham.     I  had  a  beautiful   tract  from    Mr 
Munn  on  Invitation  to  United  Prayer,  written  by  Dr 
Marsh,  Jan.  1st,  1857,  &  I  pray  God  it  may  be  a 
means  of  doing  much  good  for  the  honour  &  glory  of 
God  &  the  good  of  souls.     Dear  Madam,  I  beg  the 
favour  of  your  prayers  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  upon  me,  that  I  may  be  able  to  teach  accord- 
ing to  His  holy  will  and  word — a  skilful  workman, 
rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth — &  also  that  I  may 
be  a  means  of  bringing  many  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.     I  thank  God  for  the  success 
I  so  far  have  had — though  I  have  not  had  any  meet- 
ings in  any  house  any  further  than  the  people  that 
live  &  lodge  in  an  house.     I  generally  go  to  the 
houses  where  there  are  men  lodging  at  nights,  &  stay 
with  them  reading  &  talking  to  them,  &  sometimes 
make  a  prayer.     I  cannot  do  much  in  the  day  time, 
as  the  fore-men  do  not  like  the  men  to  be  any  way 
hindered.     I  manage,  however,  at  dinner-times  to  get 
a  few  together  to  read  &  talk  to  them — otherwise 
than  that,  it  is  altogether  private,  with  one  &  another, 
as  I  can  get  opportunity ;  but  I  pray  God  to  enable 
me  to  be  daily  growing  in  wisdom,  that  I  may  be 
more  fully  qualified  for  the  setting  forth  of  His  holy 
will  &  wwd.     I  have  been  very  well  received  gene- 


318         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLI:NES3  OF  HEART. 

rally  amongst  my  fellow  men.  I  was  very  much 
pleased  this  morning,  as  I  was  going  along  the  line 
one  of  the  men  called  for  me  to  stop,  so  I  asked  what 
he  wanted — he  said,  you  never  come  to  my  lodge  at 
night.  I  asked  him  where  &  how  many  lodged  with 
him — so  he  told  me  4.  I  promised  to  go  to-morrow 
night,  as  I  could  not  go  to-night,  &  I  pray  God  to 
enable  me  to  set  forth  the  goodness  &  love  of  God  to 
them. 

"  We  have  had  two  lectures  in  the  school-room, 
&  they  are  to  continue  for  some  time  weekly.  Mr 
Munn  is  to  give  one  next  Friday  or  the  Friday  after. 
So  now,  dear  Lady,  I  conclude,  begging  the  favour 
of  your  prayers.  I  do  not  forget  daily  to  offer  up  a 
prayer  for  you  &  your  dear  Father,  and  all  the  people 
of  Beckenham.  from  Your  ever  affectionate  Son  in. 
the  Lord,  Wm.  G ." 


The  following  letter  was  from  a  man,  whose  honest, 
friendly  countenance  we  had  well  remembered,  even 
amidst  the  numbers  of  honest,  friendly  faces  amongst 
the  men  of  the  Array  Works  Corps : — 

'*  Garrison  Hospital,  Portsea, 
Fehy.  28th,  1856. 

"  Dear  Friend, — I  take  the  present  opportunity 
of  addressing  A  few  lines  to  you,  to  let  you  know  that 


GLADNKJ^S  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART.         319 

T  have  been  Invalided  from  the  Crimea.  But  thanks 
to  my  Great  Creator.  I  am  recovering  very  fast.  I 
have  sufFerred  A  great  deal  ever  since  the  20th  of 
October,  but  through  the  mercy  of  God  I  have  been 
able  to  survive  it,  But  not  without  having  my  eyes 
opened  to  the  awful  state  I  was  living  in ;  if  it  had 
l)leased  God  to  call  me  into  eternity  I  knew  that  I 
was  a  great  sinner,  and  that  I  had  a  great  deal  to 
answer  for.  I  prayed  my  little  prayer  and  read  my 
little  testament,  But  I  have  never  found  that  peace 
of  mind,  yet  more  I  pray  and  more  I  read  the  word 
of  God,  and  more  I  am  convinced  that  I  am  a  sinner, 
But  I  have  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  through 
Him  Cometh  all  good.  I  shall  be  able  to  leave  the 
Hospital  very  soon,  and  I  would  like  you  to  send  one 
pound  of  mine  if  it  will  not  put  you  to  much  trouble,  as 
I  have  no  money.  I  have  had  no  pay  this  3  months, 
and  I  will  get  none  till  I  get  to  London.  1  hope 
these  few  lines  will  find  you  enjoying  good  Health, 
and  I  still  remain  your  humble  servant, 

"  Thomas  B— w— r." 

Some  time  after  this  Thomas  came  to  Beckenham, 

slowly  regaining   health  and   strength.      He  could 

scarcely  speak  for  the  fulness  of  his  heart,  when  first 

he  entered  the  house  and  was  welcomed  back.  When 

I  had  left  the  room,  he  said  to  L ,  "  She  has  cured 

me  of  two  things,  drinking  and  swearing."  After 
this,  we  had  further  conversation  and  prayer  with 


320         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART. 

him,  and  could  not  doubt  that  there  was  a  real  work 
of  the  grace  of  Grod  going  on  in  his  soul. 

A  Bible  and  a  "Pilgrim's  Progress"  were  given 
him  at  parting ;  and  shortly  after  his  return  home,  in 
allusion  to  the  latter,  he  wrote,  "I  am  still  going 
backwards  and  forwards  between  the  Slough  of 
Despond  and  Giant  Despair." 

The  next  letter  was  written  more  hopefully:  "I 
think  I  am  coming  up  near  the  Cross,  and  my  burden 
is  loosening  from  my  shoulders,  and  will  fall  into  the 
Sepulchre  of  my  Saviour.  It  is  not  quite  gone  yet ; 
but  I  am  in  the  way,  and  you  was  Evangelist  as  led 
me  in  at  the  Wicket  Gate." 

"Dear  Friend, — I  think  it  my  Duty  to  write  a  few 
Lines  to  you  to  inform  you  that  I  am  in  good  health 
and  gopd  spirits,  at  Present,  thank  God.  I  have  got  to 
work,  and  I  am  doing  well  at  present.  I  am  at  home 
with  my  mother,  and  the  happiest  Days  in  my  Life 
is  now.  I  am  a  total  abstainer  from  all  intoxicating 
Liquors  and  Tobacco.  When  T  Look  back  at  the 
Life  I  have  Led  it  makes  me  tremble  to  think  that  I 
was  ever  pei-mitted  to  Liv^e  ;  but,  O  Dear  friend,  T 
have  faith  in  Christ  now,  and  do  believe  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  Died  to  save  me  from  my  sins,  and  Dear 
friend,  you  have  been  a  messenger  sent  to  snatch  me 
from  the  jaws  of  Death  ;  if  you  could  only  think  with 
what  pleasure  I  go  to  the  house  of  God  twice  every 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEAET.         321 

Sunday,  you  would  say  that  the  good  work  has  begun 
in  my  heart ;  you  would  say,  Thomas,  DoYou  believe 
that  Christ  Died  to  save  you  from  your  sins,  and  I 
will  say  that  I  am  a  Christian,  and  that  I  am  able  to 
say,  Lord,  Thou  hast  opened  my  lips,  and  my  mouth 
shews  forth  thy  praise.  Dear  friend,  I  have  got  the 
51st  psalm  off  by  heart,  and  I  say  it  in  my  prayers 
every  night  and  morning,  and  if  you  will  tell  the 
navvies  to  get  it  oft",  and  pray  it,  they  will  get  a  great 
Deal  of  good  from  it.  Dear  friend,  I  hope  you  are  all 
in  good  health,  and  you  must  accept  my  heartfelt 
thanks  for  the  kind  instructions  I  have  received  from 
you — and  Believe  me  to  be  yours  faithfully, 

"  Thomas  B— w— r." 

In  the  month  of  August,  I  wrote  to  tell  him  that 
we  should,  God  willing,  go  to  Scotland  in  a  short 
time,  and  pass  a  Railway  Station  in  the  north  of 
England,  near  which,  I  believed,  he  was  living.  I 
mentioned  the  pleasure  it  would  give  us  to  see  him 
there,  if  he  were  near  enough  to  come  without  incon- 
venience. He  responded  to  this  with  great  joy  ;  and 
carefully  omitted  to  mention  that  it  was  a  distance  of 
five  and  twenty  miles  from  his  village  home. 

On  our  arrival  at  the  station,  there  was  some  hurry 
rvA  confusion,  as  it  was  a  junction,  and  several  trains 
met.  We  looked  about  for  Thomas,  but  failing  to 
see  him,   occupied   ourselves   concerning   some   lost 

X 


322         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OP  HEART. 

kiggage,  and  in  parting  with  a  friend  who  had  tra- 
velled with  us  to  see  the  English  Lakes ;  and  then 
our  train  went  off.  Little  did  we  think  that  Thomas 
w^as  watching  us  all  the  time  ]  too  unobtrusive  to  dis- 
turb us,  although,  as  he  afterwards  wrote,  "  I  went 
back  with  tears  in  my  eyes,  which  would  not  have 
been  there  if  I  could  have  heard  you  and  those  good 
young  ladies  speak  again,  and  you  had  said,  Thomas, 
live  for  God,  and  keep  close  to  Jesus  Christ."  I  need 
not  say  this  contretemps,  and  the  simple  story  of  his 
disappointment,  brought  tears  into  other  eyes  besides 
Thomas's. 

We  sent  him  a  copy  of  the  large  edition  of  the 
Memorials  of  Captain  Yicars,  and  had  a  serious 
contest  as  to  his  accepting  a  sovereign  to  cover  the 
expenses  of  his  journey  and  loss  of  time  at  his  work — 
a  contest  which  would  not  have  ended  in  our  favom*, 
had  not  a  severe  illness  laid  him  low,  and  he  then  felt 
that  God  had  directed  a  little  help  to  be  pressed  upon 
him,  to  prevent  him  from  being  any  burden  upon  his 
aged  mother. 

"  January  12, 1857. 

"  Dear  Friend, — I  take  up  my  pen  to  return  my 
grateful  thanks  to  you  for  your  kind  remembrance  of 
me,  and  I  trust  in  God,  that  these  few  lines  will  find 
your  father  much  improved  in  Health.  We  are  all  in 
good  Health  here  at  present,  thank  God,  and  I  am 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OB  HEART.  323 

working  for  a  farmer  here,  for  14s.  a  week,  and 
out  of  that  I  can  save  six,  and  I  am  happy  and  con- 
tent. Do  you  think  that  I  ever  forget  you  in  my 
prayers  or  Do  you  think  that  I  ever  forget  to  repeat 
the  soldier's  prayer  many  a  time  in  the  day.  No, 
Dear  Friend,  nor  do  I  ever  neglect  going  to  hear  the 
Word  of  God  preached  on  a  Sunday,  but  I  go 
amongst  my  neighbom*s  and  read  them  all  my  tracts 
and  my  beautiful  book  when  I  have  any  spare  time. 
I  have  found  it  to  be  profitable  in  the  sight  of  God 
and  to  myself.  You  were  indeed  the  instrument  in 
God's  hand  that  wrought  the  good  work  in  my  heart. 
T  Look  back  with  Disgust  when  I  scarcely  had 
clothes  to  Cover  myself  with,  but  the  truth  of  the 
scripture  is  verified  in  me — first  seek  tlie  Kingdom  of 
God  and  all  its  righteousness,  and  all  other  things 
shall  be  added.  I  can  say,  as  St  Paul  said,  there  is 
But  one  God  and  one  mediator  between  God  and 
men,  the  man  Jesus  Christ.  I  have  a  lively  faith  in 
Christ  that  through  Him  I  shall  be  saved,  can  you 
not  see  a  change  in  my  writing,  will  you  be  so  kind 
as  to  write  back  to  me  and  Let  me  know  whether 
your  Holy  father  is  got  better. 

"  May  the  Dew  of  the  divine  Benediction  descend 
on  all  your  House,  that  the  wisdom  of  God  may 
adorn  you  with  every  good  and  perfect  Gift  is  the 
daily  prayer  of  your  Humble  Friend 

"  Good  Night.  T B_w— r." 


324        GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OP  HEART. 

"  Fely.  \1th,  1857. 

"Dear  Friend, — It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  sit  Down 
to  thank  you  for  the  Little  Book  that  you  sent  me, 
and  above  all  Do  I  thank  you  for  that  good  Book  the 
memorials  of  Captain  Vicars.  You  have  been  so 
good  and  kind  to  me,  that  I  think  it  my  Duty  to 
inform  you  that  I  am  about  to  get  married  to  a  very 
pious  young  woman,  on  the  28th  of  this  month,  if  it 
please  God  and  health  permit.  Dear  Friend,  I  never 
told  you  that  I  got  £6  gratuity-money  from  Sir 
Joseph  Paxton's  office,  for  being  invalided  home  with 
a  good  character  from  the  Crimea.  I  do  return  my 
sincere  thanks  to  God  and  to  you :  first  to  God  for 
making  you  a  instrument  to  spread  his  holy  scripture 
abroad  among  the  working  men  of  England,  and  to 
you  Do  I  return  my  Gratefid  thanks  for  the  friend- 
ship you  have  shewn  towards  me,  for  oh  you  could 
not  tliink  of  the  pleasure  that  I  felt  in  receiving  that 
Little  Book  of  friendship.  I  make  it  my  rule  to  re- 
peat the  soldier's  prayer  thf*  first  thing  on  entering 
the  Church  and  on  leaving  it.  The  Lord  opens  my 
lips  and  my  mouth  shews  forth  His  praise.  I  trust 
in  God  you  are  all  well  as  we  are  at  present.  Praise 
the  Lord ;  my  God  to  praise,  my  soul  its  utmost  powers 
shall  raise.  God  bless  you  and  keep  you  in  health 
and  strength  long  to  live.     From  yours, 

"  T B— w— R." 

"  June  22nd,  1857. 

"Deae  Friend, — I  thank  God  that  I  am  spared  to 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OP  HEART.        325 

write  a  few  lines  to  you.  I  hope  by  this  time,  with 
God's  Blessing,  you  are  all  in  the  full  enjoyment  of 
health  as  we  are  at  present.  You  will  think  I  have 
been  long  in  answering  your  kind  letter.  Oh  if  you 
but  knew  the  pleasure  I  have  in  receiving  a  letter 
from  you,  you  would  be  sure  that  I  would  write  on 
the  first  opportunity. 

"  But  you  will  excuse  me.    I  have  been  from  home 

a  month.     I  am  coachman  to  J G ,  Esq.  of 

H .    I  have  had  this  situation  10  weeks.    I  came 

here  on  Easter  Monday.  I  find  it  rather  tedious,  but 
with  perseverance  and  God's  Blessing  I  am  getting 
on  very  well.  I  am  well  situated  in  my  own  cottage. 
I  was  married  the  Last  day  of  February.  Who  have 
1  to  thank  for  this  change — God  and  you — I  feel  that 
Jesus  loves  me.  My  faith  is  strong  in  Christ.  Dear 
friend,  if  the  navvies  would  only  be  induced  to  read 
all  those  good  Books  you  gave  them  they  might  not 
find  time  to  go  to  the  beer-house,  for  since  I  saw  you 
and  you  shewed  me  the  road  to  ever-Lasting  Life,  I 
have  been  prosperous.  Dear  Friend,  I  received  that 
Little  Book,  and  I  have  read  it  many  a  time  over 
since  then ;  receive  my  grateful  thanks ;  may  God  be 
pleased  to  restore  your  blessed  Father  and  your  Dear 
and  Kind  Sister  to  Health  is  the  earnest  prayer  every 
Night  and  Morning  of  your  humble  Friends, 

"  T and  E B— W— B." 


326         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART. 

Amongst  the  men  who  have  been  working  on  the 
new  lines  of  railway  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Becken- 
ham,  there  are  not  a  few  who  have  caused  us  to  thank 
our  God  for  the  change  T'-  hns  wrought  in  them. 

These  honest  working  hioii  live  just  as  near  our 
hearts  as  our  earlier  friends,  although  no  record  has 
been  kept  of  our  intercourse  together. 

Four  letters  are  selected,  written  by  men  who  left  the 
neighbourhood  in  January  1857.  The  first  two  are 
from  a  carpenter,  employed  for  a  few  months  about 
the  Station,  &c.,  at  Beckenham,  the  others  are  from 
a  Kailroad  man,  whose  business  was  chiefly  in  "  plate- 
laying"  on  the  lines. 

"  Jany.  15th,  1857. 

"  Madam, — I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  writing  to 
you  to  tell  you  how  greatly  sorry  I  am  that  I  was 
not  able  to  see  you  again  before  I  left  Beckenham, 
more  especially  as  I  had  promised  to  do  so  ;  the  reason 
why  I  did  not  call  was,  because  I  had  been  promised 
another  week's  work  by  Mr  Chesterton,  my  foreman, 
and  he  only  received  orders  to  discharge  me  and 
several  others  about  half-past  three  on  Satm'day,  so 
that  I  had  not  time  to  come. 

"  I  beg  to  offer  my  most  sincere  thanks  to  you  and 
to  Mr  Chalmers  for  the  great  blessings  I  derived  from 
attending  your  meetings,  and,  the  greatest  of  all,  the 
importance  of  prayer ;  it  is  true  I  used  to  pray  before, 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART.        327 

but  they  were  cold  and  formal,  it  was  one  thing  over 
and  over  again  ;  I  trust  you  liave  learnt  me  a  great 
lesson,  to  be  earnest  in  prayer.  Mr  Hampton,  In- 
cumbent of  St  Luke's  district,  is  president  of  the 
Working  man's  Institute  in  Barnsbury  park,  which  I 
intend  to  join,  where  I  can  go  nearly  every  evening 
in  the  week,  and  where  I  shall  recei\'e  good  instruc- 
tion, where  I  hope  I  shall  learn  to  love  my  Saviour 
and  serve  him  better.  It  is  my  earnest  wish  to  know 
more  of  the  gospel  truths,  and  of  that  glorious  being 
who  died  on  the  cross  for  me.  I  hope  to  come  to  see 
you  again  soon,  if  I  am  spared .  I  should  have  so  liked  to 
have  stopped  another  week  to  have  heard  the  lecture  on 
chemistry,  and  likewise  to  have  heard  Mr  Chalmers 
finish  his  story  about  that  good  man,  Mr  William 
Tindall ;  it  always  gave  me  great  pleasure  in  hearing- 
Mr  Chalmers  speak  of  those  great  reformers.  I  have 
great  pleasure  in  telling  you  that  part  of  my  most 
earnest  prayer  every  night  and  morning  is,  that  the 
Lord  will  bless  you  and  all  your  friends,  and  I  am 
sure  you  will  not  forget  me  in  your  prayers. —  believe 
me  to  be  your  most  obedient  Servant, 

"  William  H ." 

"  Tuesday,  20th,  1857. 

"  Dear  Lady, — I  know  not  how  to  express  my 
thanks  to  you  for  such  a  handsome  present  as  that 
beautiful  book  of  Captain   Vicars,  but  \  believe  in 


328         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OP  HEART. 

returning  thanks  1  cannot  give  you  better  satisfaction 
than  a  promise  that  I  will  often  read  the  book,  and, 
with  God's  blessing,  will  try  to  live  like  him  ;  there  is 
so  much,  I  think,  to  encourage  the  man  to  become 
religious,  when  he  reads  Captain  Vicars'  beautiful 
letters,  that  he  cannot  help  wishing  he  might  be  as 
good  a  christian  ;  my  most  sincere  thanks,  kind  lady, 
for  your  kind  wishes  and  earnest  prayers,  for  I  stand 
in  need  of  many  prayers,  for  I  am  A  great  sinner ; 
how  much  valuable  time  have  I  wasted  in  sin  and 
folly!  Oh  !  I  earnestly  pray  to  my  blessed  Saviour 
to  give  me  grace  to  cast  away  the  works  of  dark- 
ness, and  to  put  on  the  Armour  of  Light,  and  I  believe 
he  will  answer  my  prayers,  because  he  has  said,  what- 
soever ye  shall  ask  in  prayer,  believing,  ye  shall 
receive,  and  these  blessed  words  give  me  confidence. 
I  have  joined  the  working  man's  Institute,  open 
every  evening,  Bible  class,  Tuesday  and  Sunday,  and 
which  I  intend  to  join,  so  I  hope,  with  God's  blessing, 
to  go  on  and  prosper. — Believe  me  your  most  grate- 
ful and  obedient  Servant, 

"  William  H ." 

*  South  America,  March  the  15,  1857. 

"  Dear  Uncle, — I  take  the  pleasure  of  writing  to 
you  hoping  to  find  }v^u  well  as  it  leaves  me  at  this 
time,  thank  God  for  it.  we  arrived  here  on  the  5  of 
March  all  safe;  but  there  is  not  one  that  come  out 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLEXi-SS  OF  HEART.        329 

but  wishes  he  was  back  in  England  again,  I  know 
I  do,  it  is  so  hot  now  that  we  are  obliged  to  carry  a 
umbrella  with  you  to  keep  the  sun  from  you ;  it  seems 
very  curious  to  carry  a  umbrella  to  work  with  you  to 
shade  you.     I  have  made  a  start  at  work  with  James 

C he  knows  you ;  he  says  it  is  curious  work  here 

to  work  with  black  men  and  dont  know  how  to  speak 
to  them  in  a  word,  but  I  shall  soon  pick  some  of 
theii  language  up  if  God  spares  me  to  stop  here  long. 
If  I  live  to  come  back  again  to  see  you  again  I  shall 
tell  you  some  thing,  how  glad  I  are  that  no  more 
come  with  us  out  here.  I  will  tell  you  the  truth  about 
what  I  think  about  it;  I  would  sooner  work  in  England 
for  12  shillings  per  week  than  here  for  4  times  twelve 
shillings  per  week ;  it  dont  suit  a  Englishman  here, 
and  if  it  is  so  hot  in  the  winter  time,  what  will  it  be  in 
the  summer  time.  There  is  plenty  of  cocoanuts  here, 
you  can  see  them  growing  here,  the  trees  run  very 
high  here,  the  palm  trees  I  mean,  plenty  of  them 
here ;  you  may  buy  a  cocoanut  here  for  aid.  with  a 
pint  of  milk  in  them,  it  is  so  nice  to  drink  when  you 
are  dry.  If  this  country  would  suit  a  Englishman 
he  could  do  well  here,  but  a  Englishman  never  feels 
well  the  same  as  in  England;  the  air  seems  different 
from  English  air :  if  I  thought  that  you  could  stand 
the  climate  you  could  do  well  but  I  am  sure  it  would 
not  suit  you,  so  dont  you  come  here,  stop  in  England 
on  a  bit  of  bread  rather  than  come  out  here  to  live  on 


330  GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART. 

bread  and  meat.  I  wish  I  was  back  again  in  Beck- 
enham  with  all  my  heart,  give  my  love  to  Evans  and 
all  my  brotliers,  and  send  my  love  to  Tom,  and 
when  you  write  to  Tom,  give  my  love  to  all  inquiring 
friends  at  home.  Dear  uncle,  I  think  I  am  agoing  to 
be  foreman  over  a  Brickfield  after  awhile,  w^here  I 
shall  have  a  man  to  cook  for  me  and  to  fetch  victuals, 
a  native  I  mean ;  there  will  be  no  Englishman  with 
me  at  all  (but  Mr  Price,  now  and  then,  the  master 
over  the  Avork  and  he  is  a  nice  man),  but  I  think  I 
shall  be  happy  there  if  I  go,  there  will  be  no  one 
there  that  I  can  speak  to,  but  1  know  who  wdll  be 
there  with  me,  my  Saviour  will  be  there  with  me, 
and  He  is  all  I  want  in  this  world,  this  world  is  no- 
thing to  what  the  next  world  is—  that  bright  world 
above;  and  uncle,  if  we  never  meet  again  on  earth,  we 
shall  meet  again  at  that  great  day  when  our  Saviour 
come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  to  Judge  the  world  and 
Everything  will  be  brought  forward  then  before  the 
Angels  of  God  then,  and  if  we  never  read  our 
Saviour's  word  and  believe  in  Plis  word  we  shall  be 
found  wanting  then,  and  then  it  will  be  too  late,  then 
seek  the  Lord  while  He  may  be  foand,  call  upon 
Him  while  He  is  near.  Uncle,  I  will  tell  you  the 
tmth  about  myself;  since  1  began  to  seek  the  Lord,  I 
never  was  so  happy  in  all  my  life  as  I  am  now,  thank 
God ;  and  what  is  this  happiness  to  heaven !  nothing ; 
this  is  only  the  taste,     by  the  grace  of  God  T  mean 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEAET.        331 

to  go  to  heaven  to  be  with  Jesus  for  ever ;  and  if  I 
never  meet  again  in  Earth  o  may  we  meet  in  heaven 
there  to  part  no  more,  the  longest  time  in  this  world 
is  but  short,  give  my  love  to  gentlemen  who  are  the 
Adult  school  masters,  and  tell  them  I  will  write  to 
them  by  the  next  mail  that  go  out,  but  tell  them  I 
often  think  about  them  and  you  as  well.  And  one 
more  I  think  of  very  often,  and  I  should  love  to  hear 
her  readings  again  of  Sunday  and  week  evenings, 
they  are  all  Roman  Catholic  church  here,  and  if  I  did 
go  to  a  Koman  Catholic  church  I  could  not  under- 
stand them,  and  I  could  not  hold  with  them.  I  will 
tell  you  how  they  go  on  after  service ;  they  dance,  and 
the  band  of  music  plays,  and  the  shops  are  open  the 
same  as  on  another  day ;  you  would  think  it  was  a 
curious  place  if  you  could  see  them  they  are  like 
heathen  here.  I  live  in  hope  of  coming  back  again  ; 
if  God  spares  me  to  live  to  come  back  to  England 
once  more,  I  shall  never  leave  no  more  for  South 
America.  But  we  are  here,  and  we  must  put  up  with 
it.  They  are  small  horses  here  to  what  they  are  in 
England,  but  they  can  travel  over  the  ground  fast 
with  a  good  load  upon  their  backs ;  there  is  hundreds 
of  horsei  comes  by  here  every  day  wdth  their  load  of 
sugar  upon  their  back,  some  with  fruit,  and  some  with 
treacle ;  the  horses  will  not  drink  the  water  without 
some  of  the  treacle  in  it,  and  it  helps  them  feed,  you 
cant  walk  far  in  a  day  in  this  country,  for  it  is  s^ 


332         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OP  HEART. 

sandy  and  dusly  here ;  we  liad  a  very  nice  voyage 
from  England,  it  was  rather  rough,  but  we  came  all 
safe,  thank  God.     I  am  your  affectionate  nephew, 

"  ^r /' 

"South  America,  September  lith,  1857. 

"  Deak  Friend, — I  take  my  pen  in  hand  to  write 
to  you  once  more  while  I  am  in  this  country,  and  I 
hope  it  will  find  you  quite  well,  and  your  Sister  too, 
and  all  at  home.  I  often  think  about  your  meetings 
on  a  Monday  and  Sunday  night,  and  wish  I  was 
there  with  you  and  all  the  others  too.  I  have  never 
heard  a  Sermon  since  I  left  the  ship,  but  I  don't  forget 
the  words  you  told  me,  nor  never  shall  forget  them 
I  know — by  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  love  of  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ — it  is  more  than  words  can  tell ; 
no  one  don't  know  till  they  have  found  it  out  by 
praying.  I  can  say  that  I  never  was  so  happy  in  all 
my  life.  I  can  say  it  with  a  clear  conscience  before 
my  God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  I  mean  happy 
in  my  mind,  and  seem  all  different — no  swearing 
now,  thank  God, — no  wicked  oaths.  My  life  seems 
difterent,  and  it  is  different  too,  thank  God  for  it. 
Dear  friend,  I  must  tell  you  that  I  h  ive  seen  some 
ups  and  downs  since  I  have  been  in  this  country,  but 
thank  God,  He  guides  me  by  His  counsel,  and  After- 
wards He  will  receive  me  to  glory,  to  be  with  Him 
for  ever  in  the  bright  world  above.     I  often  read  a 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  01^  HEART.         333 

verse  in  the  testament,  in  the  5  chapter  of  Eevelation, 
where  there  is  so  many  thousands  of  angels ;  and  I 
often  read  another  in  the  7  chapter  of  Revelation, 
where  there  is  that  great  Multitude,  which  no  man 
can  number,  of  all  nations,  people,  and  kindred- 
standing  before  the  thrcne  of  God — all  was  in  white, 
and  palms  in  their  hands.  I  look  at  it  some  times, 
and  my  thoughts  are  more  than  I  can  tell.  I  wish 
I  could  always  have  them  thoughts.  Dear  Friend,  I 
go  to  Dinner,  and  when  I  go,  and  when  I  come  back 
again,  it  makes  me  think  of  that  world  above ;  and 
when  the  sun  is  out  on  a  clear  day,  it  shines  so 
bright,  and  it  is  so  hot,  you  are  obliged  to  wipe  your 
eyes — it  fetches  the  tears  into  them.  I  look  round, 
and  I  see  hills  on  one  side,  and  hills  on  the  other, 
and  it 's  beautiful  to  look  at :  but  what  will  that  be  to 
Heaven,  where  we  shall  shine  as  the  Sun  in  glory — 
not  for  a  few  days,  not  for  a  few  weeks  or  months  or 
years,  but  for  ever.  It  is  Delightful  to  me  to  think 
about  it,  no  one  can  tell  but  me  and  the  Lord,  which 
knows  all  things.  I  thank  His  blessed  name  for  ever 
for  giving  me  health  and  strength  while  I  am  in  this 
countvy,  and  all  the  others  have  been  ill  with  some 
thing,  but  I  am  well,  thank  God  a  thousand  times  ten 
thousand.  There  is  one  and  another  being  called 
away  from  us  in  a  few  days,  our  turn  may  be  the 
next  to  go,  we  don't  know,  but  the  Lord's  will  be 
done  in  Earth  as  in  Heaven.     The  Lord  sends  us 


334         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OP  HEART. 

warnings  to  bring  us  closer  to  Him.  Mr  Slaney  and 
Mr  Wilks  was  well,  and  dead  and  buried  in  less 
than  a  fortnight — and  Mr  Wilks  has  left  a  wife  at 
home,  and  8  children.  We  may  soon  be  called  away 
to  stand  before  our  God  and  Saviour — if  I  never  see  you 
again  in  this  world,  I  trust  we  shall  meet  in  heaven 
at  last ;  there  we  shall  sing  His  praises  for  ever — and 
hear  those  harps  of  Gold — and  to  see  those  prophets 
which  foretold  of  our  Saviour !  And  we  shall  see  our 
Saviour  there,  and  to  sit  down  by  his  side  in  heaven, 
it  is  Delightful.  I  think  sometimes  that  I  shall  not 
know  how  to  contain  myself  before  my  Saviour, 
because,  see  what  poor  creatures  we  are  as  soon 
as  we  are  ill,  we  are  done  for — we  have  not  got 
strength  of  ourselves  to  help  ourselves — but  glory  be 
to  God  for  ever,  I  know  He  loves  me,  and  I  feel  He 
loves  me,  to  a  inward  love  which  I  cannot  tell  to  no 
man. 

•'  Hear  Friend,  I  must  tell  you  a  little  bit  about 
my  poor  mother,  she  lived  a  Christian,  and  died  a 
Christian ;  and  now  she  is  with  our  Saviour  in 
heaven.  When  my  Mother  was  ill  she  sent  for  me 
to  tell  me  things  what  concern  this  world,  but  she 
did  not  forget  things  of  that  heavenly  world — she 
told  me  things  which  I  never  shall  forget ;  but  I  have 
forgot  them — but  these  words  come  fresh  to  my  mind 
now.  Bless  God  for  that  last  night  of  the  old  year, 
when  you  begged  of  us  to  give  ourselves  to  Jesua 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART.         335 

Christ  our  Saviour,  wlio  had  a  right  to  us,  for  see  He 
had  bought  us  with  His  own  blood.  And  I  did  give 
myself  away  to  Him,  thank  God. 

"  Well  I  will  tell  you  what  my  poor  mother 
said  to  me  the  morning  before  she  died,  that  our 
Saviour  was  with  her  all  the  time,  and  she  said 
that  our  Saviour  died  for  her;  she  believed  that 
our  Saviour  died  for  her  when  she  was  well,  but 
when  she  was  ill  she  knew  He  was  with  Ler,  our 
blessed  Saviour  who  died  for  all  the  world.  It  was 
true,  I  know,  for  when  I  was  at  home  I  never  knew 
her  tell  me  a  untruth  in  my  life ;  and  she  was  a  good 
mother,  used  to  love  prayer,  and  so  do  I  too.  That 
little  book  which  you  gave  to  me  is  come  right,  it  is 
the  same  as  it  says,  if  you  begin  to  speak  to  God, 
He  will  soon  give  you  plenty  to  say  to  Him.  I  have 
prayer  in  ray  bed-room  night  and  morning;  I  don't 
mind  who  hears  me ;  I  feel  when  I  am  praying  that 
God  hears  me.  There  is  some  of  our  men  which  live 
with  me,  they  give  me  a  sneer  sometimes;  but 
I  love  them  all  the  same  for  that.  I  pray  for  them 
and  for  my  little  brothers  which  are  in  England ; 
when  you  see  my  brothers,  give  my  love  to  them, 
and  I  hope  they  go  to  church  regular,  and  to  your 
meetings.  I  should  love  to  go  myself.  I  do  think 
about  you,  and  most  about  the  time  of  the  meet'ngs ; 
the  time  here  is  about  2  hours  and  20  minutes  later 
than  in  England.     On  a  Sunday  I  read,  and  then  go 


336         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART. 

in  my  room,  and  read  and  pray,  and  seems  as  if 
I  was  in  England.  Please  to  write  to  me  as  t^oon 
as  you  can,  and  remember  me  in  your  prayers ;  at 
all  times  1  think  of  you  in  my  prayers,  and  all  of 
them  which  attend  your  meetings.  We  shall  soon 
Ijave  a  minister  up  here  now,  and  I  shall  be  glad 
when  he  comes  up.  I  can't  go  to  these  churches  here 
for  to  hear  them,  for  they  are  all  Roman  Catholics 
here,  so  I  can't  tell  you  half  what  I  am  seen  since 
I  am  been  here.  One  day  I  was  doing  a  small  job, 
and  when  I  had  been  at  work  2  hours  there  came  a 
gang  of  these  poor  slaves,  and  a  whipper  with  them, 
with  a  long  whip  with  him  ;  they  was  fencing  the 
line  out  with  rough  wood ;  there  was  20  or  30  of 
them  ;  most  of  them  was  women  :  I  can't  abear  that. 
Well,  there  came  a  man  along  with  a  kind  of  a  doll 
in  a  basket,  and  these  poor  slaves  went  and  kissed 
this  doll,  and  them  which  had  a  vintem  in  their 
pocket  gave  it  to  this  man  for  kissing  this  doll,  and 
til  en  this  man  would  go  and  spend  it  in  liquor,  and 
got  fresh.  Oh  !  if  I  could  but  have  told  them  to  have 
made  them  understand  me,  but  I  told  them  as  well 
a^  T  could,  but  not  so  well  as  I  should  like  to  Lave 
done,  and  about  Jesus  Christ  the  sinner's  Saviour ; 
but  T  left  it  to  the  Lord  which  knows  all  hearts. 
I  oftLMi  think  what  a  day  that  will  be  when  all  must 
appear  before  our  Saviour  ^Jesus  Christ,  and  all 
things  will  be  brought  forward.     I  must   conclude 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART.        337 

now,  with  my  love  and  duty  to  all  at  the  Rectory, 
and  receive  the  same  your  self  from 

«Wm.  G H, 

*'  Brazils,  South  America.*' 

From  another, 

"  A^l  the  24. 

''  Dear  Madam, — I  take  the  opportunity  of  writing 
these  Few  lines  to  you.  I  have  no  doubt  but  you 
thinks  it  very  unkind  of  me  in  not  writing  sooner. 
I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you,  if  it  is  not 
troubling  you  too  much.  I  thank  for  your  invitation 
to  your  tea  meeting,  I  enjoyed  it  very  much  indeed. 
Dear  Madam,  I  wish  to  rpeak  a  word  or  two  by  the 
help  of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  of  my  own  experience  of 
His  love.  I  do  feel  Jesus  to  be  precious  to  my  soul, 
I  can  say  with  the  Psalmist,  in  His  Favour  is  life, 
His  loving  kindness  is  better  than  life,  in  His  Pre- 
sence is  fulness  of  joy,  and  believe  that  at  His  Right 
hand  there  are  pleasures  For  ever  more.  I  do  Feel 
to  be  growing  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  May  the  Lord  pour  of  His  Spirit 
upon  us  more  abundantly,  that  we  may  live  a  life  of 
Faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  who  loved  us  and  gave  Him- 
self For  us.  Please  to  remember  me  in  your  prayers, 
and  I  will  remember  you,  so  good  bye  for  the  present. 
God  bless  you  For  Jesus  Christ's  sake  Amen.  T  am 
still  your  humble  servant, 

"  Thomas  N ." 

T 


338         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OP  HEART. 

The  following  letters  tell  their  own  storj,  and  mag- 
nify the  grace  of  God.  Once  more  the  soldier  wrote 
a  few  hurried  lines,  to  say  he  was  under  orders  for 
active  service.  The  Regiment  sailed  for  India  early 
in  the  month  of  August  1857  : — 

"  CuRRAGH  Camp,  Now.  \1th  1856. 

"  MADAMj-^Pardon  me  for  taking  the  very  great 
liberties  of  writing  these  few  imperfect  lines  to  you 
witli  heartfelt  thankfulness  to  you  for  your  kind  and 
pious  Instructions  that  I  received  from  you  while  I 
was  at  Beckenham,  which  is  about  3  years  ago,  and  T 
trust  that  although  I  am  living  amidst  sin  and  wicked- 
ness aroundjthey  have  not  been  given  in  vain.  Many  a 
time  have  I  thought  of  you  of  a  cold  winter's  night, 
when  lying  before  the  Enemy  in  the  Crimea,  and  often 
would  attempt  to  Avrite  to  you  but  again  thought  my- 
self unworthy  of  writing  to  such  a  kind  Lady,  &  often 
did  my  heart  beat  with  joy  when  I  saw  your  name  in 
a  small  book  or  tract  of  any  kind,  particular  in  one, 
^  The  Victory  won,'  &  in  the  account  of  the  Death  of 
noble  Captn.  Vicars  of  tlie  97th  who  was  killed  one 
night  in  a  sortie  before  Sebastopol.  I  expect  to  come 
home  on  Furlough  shortly,  &  then  perhaps  I  may 
make  it  my  Duty  to  come  to  Beckenham  &  hear  once 
more  the  words  of  Salvation  under  the  roof  of  the  old 
parish  Church.  Madam,  it  is  useless  for  me  to  men- 
tion my  name,  as  I  am  a  perfect  stranger  to  you,  al- 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OP  HEAET.        339 

thougli  I  attended  your  Lectures  at  the  Cottages,  but 
I  hope  that  one  day  I  shall  shine  as  a  star  in  your 
crown  for  ever  in  Glory, 

"  A  British  Crimean  Soldier." 

"  CuRBAOH  Camp,  Ireland,  July  lith  1857. 
"  Madam, — Please  to  pardon  the  very  great  liber- 
ties I  take  in  addressing  these  i^w  lines  to  you,  which 
is  a  thing  I  am  sure  you  would  do  if  you  was  aware 
of  the  gratitude  I  feel  I  owe  to  you  for  what  you  have 
done  for  me,  in  being  the  cause  of  bringing  me  to  that 
knowledge  and  sense  as  made  me  feel  that  I  was  a 
sinner  &  stood  in  need  of  a  Saviour  &  that  unless  I 
repented  I  must  perish,  and  blessed  be  God  I  have 
found  a  Saviour  and  I  feel  him  increasingly  precious 
to  my  soul,  but  Dear  Madam  I  may  attribute  this 
great  change  to  no  one  but  you  &  Dear  Captn.  Vicars, 
for  never  shall  I  forget  the  few  months  that  I  spent 
in  the  happy  village  of  Beckenham  during  the  time 
that  I  was  at  work  at  the  Crystal  Palace  &  in  that 
neighbourhood  in  the  Summer  of  1853.  Oh !  the 
happy  Evenings  that  I  spent  in  going  to  the  Cottage 
or  School  Room  to  hear  You  or  blessed  Captn.  Vicars 
(Oh  that  I  may  have  the  grace  of  God  to  walk  in 
his  footsteps  and  die  a  death  like  his)  proclaim  the 
word  of  pardon  and  Salvation  to  sinners  &  to  me  the 
vilest  of  sinners.  I  shudder  when  I  think  of  the  sin- 
ful state  that  1  was  living  in  before  &  when  I  first  went 


340         GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART. 

to  Beckenham,  but  ever  since  I  have  felt  tliat  I  was  a 
sinner  &  had  a  soul  to  save,  and  although  surrounded 
by  all  kind  of  sin  and  temptation  I  have  strived  to 
live  to  God  &  I  trust  I  am  walking  in  the  road  to 
Heaven  &  can  say,  let  others  do  as  they  will,  as  for 
me  I  will  seive  the  Lord. 

"  We  have  a  very  nice  chaplain  here,  his  name  is 
Hayward,  &  he  is  T  believe  a  sincere  &  devout  servant 
of  God,  and  all  his  aim  is  to  win  souls  for  Glory,  he 
holds  a  Bible  class  every  Wednesday  Evening,  & 
Divine  Service  on  Friday  Evenings  &  I  am  never  so 
happy  as  when  there.  Kind  Madam,  you  will  I  hope 
pardon  my  presumption  when  I  tell  you  that  it  was 
me  who  wrote  to  you  a  few  months  ago,  but  did  not 
sign  my  name  as  I  thought  you  did  not  know  me,  I 
am  well  known  in  Beckenham,  I  used  to  lodge  at  Mr 
Milwards,  Bricklayers  Arms.  Pray  for  me  Dear  Madam 
that  I  may  still  press  forward  for  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling,  &  at  last  meet  you  in  eternal  Glory. — I  am 
Madam  Your  Humble  Servant, 

''  James  S.  B . 

"  P.  8. — Kind  Madam, — I  went  on  Furlough  & 
went  to  Beckenham  with  the  hopes  of  seeing  you  to 
declare  to  you  what  you  had  done  for  my  soul ;  I  went 
to  Church  but  I  could  not  see  you  there,  &  as  I  was 
a  stranger  I  did  not  like  to  take  the  liberties  to  go  to 
the  Rectory,  as  I  could  not  meet  you  coming  From 
Church,  you  might  have  been  there  &  I  not  see  you, 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OP  HEART.        341 

I  dare  say,  but  you  will  remember  perhaps  if  I  tell  you 
that  my  uniform  was  a  white  coat  &  red  cap.  God 
bless  you,  Madam." 

**  CuRRAaH  Camp,  21st  July  1857. 

"Dearest  Madam, — I  am  almost  at  a  loss  how  to 
find  words  to  express  my  gratitude  to  you  for  your 
very  great  kindness  in  condescending  to  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  my  letter.  I  am  happy  to  say  I 
received  your  kind  answer  to  my  letter  on  Saturday 
last,  &  likewise  the  large  memoir  of  Capt.  Vicars, 
with  that  joy  that  1  am  unable  to  express. 

"Dear  Madam,  I  have  read  the  book  once  through, 
and  commenced  it  again,  &  oh !  what  a  blessed 
ensample  is  there  therein  for  a  Christian  soldier.  I 
do  sincerely  hope  that  I  have  enlisted  under  the  same 
banner  that  he  did,  &  fought  &  died  a  Christian. 
Life  is  one  time  of  continual  warfare,  as  dear  Captain 
Vicars  found  it,  ^  &  so  will  every  Christian,'  but  by 
the  grace  of  God  he  came  off  conqueror.  Oh  !  that 
I  may  do  likewise.  Dear  Madam,  the  first  account 
that  I  read  of  his  death  was  in  a  little  book  while 
I  was  in  the  Crimea,  but  little  did  think  then  that 
he  was  buried  in  the  same  ravine  wherein  I  helped 
to  bury  so  many  of  my  poor  comrades  ;  if  I  had 
known  ho  was  buried  there  beside  the  Waranzoff 
Road,  often  would  I  have  visited  his  grave,  and  shed 
a  tear  of  affection  over  it,  and  offered  up  an  humble 


342  GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART. 

prayer.  It 's  a  splendid  likeness  of  his  grave  in  his 
memoir.  I  am  reading  Taylor's  Golden  Grove,  & 
I  find  it  a  great  help  to  me  in  my  daily  devotion. 

''  Dear  Madam,  last  Sabbath-day,  for  the  first  time 
in  my  life,  I  partook  of  the  blessed  &  holy  sacrament, 
but,  Dear  Madam,  I  did  not  presume  to  go  to  the 
table  of  the  Lord  trusting  in  my  own  righteousness, 
but  in  the  manifold  and  great  mercies  of  my  God 
and  Saviour,  bewailing  my  sins  and  wickedness 
which  I  have  from  time  to  time  most  grievously 
committed  by  thought,  word,  and  deed,  against  his 
Divine  majesty,  and  I  do  hope  that  God  answered 
my  prayers  and  supplications.  Mj  wicked  heart, 
which  has  ever  before  been  like  adamant,  was  ready 
to  break  with  grief  when  I  thought  of  Him  who 
suffered  and  pleaded  for  me  in  Gethsemena,  &  at  last 
died  an  ignominious  death  on  the  cross,  that  I  might 
be  saved  from  damnation.  May  the  body  & 
blood  of  Christj  whicli  was  given  and  shed  for  you 
and  me.  preserve  us  body  and  soul  unto  life  ever- 
Listing.     Amt' n. — I  remain  your  humble  servant, 

"  James  B . 

^^  P.8. — Oh!  Dear  Madam,  do  pray  for  mc  that 
I  may  not  fall  back  upon  the  world  again,  ^for  my 
flesh  is  weak,  and  temptations  strong  and  great,'  but 
that  thro'  all  the  changes  and  chances  of  this  mortal 
life,  my  heart  may  ever  be  fixed  on  that  world  above 
where  true  joys  are  found.     And,  Dear  Madam,  it  is 


GLADNESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  HEART.        343 

impossible  for  me  to  describe  the  value  I  have  set  en 
the  life  of  dear  Capt.  Vicars  and  your  letter ;  and 
it  will  matter  not  how  heavj  my  knapsack  may  feel 
to  me,  my  heart  will  be  cheered  when  I  think  of  two 
things  that  I  have  in  it,  and  what  a  companion  it 
will  be  to  me  in  the  hour  of  sickness,  or  stretched 
in  bed  with  a  wound  by  an  enemy,  &,  above  all 
the  same  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour  will  give 
me  dauntless  courage  to  face  death  as  Captain  Vicara 
did 

it  J B       V** 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

(Hark  t0  U  kx  ^ali  ani  mx  §xtit\n 


'  B«ar  ye  one  another's  burdens,  and  bo  faitH  the  law  of  Christ' 


One  of  the  subjects  of  regret  which  has  occupied  my 
mind  since  I  have  become  acquainted  with  "  Life  on 
the  Line,"  has  been  the  want  of  sympathy,  generally 
speaking,  between  the  contractors  and  the  men  whom 
they  employ.  The  usual  manner  in  which  contractors 
are  spoken  of  by  the  men  is  as  "  them  as  don't  care 
what  happens  to  we,  so  their  work  gets  done;"  or, 
less  mildly,  "  All  they  think  of  is  how  much  they  can 
squeeze  out  of  the  bones  and  life  of  the  navvy !"  * 

Yet  these  contractors  are  Englishmen ;  and  doubt- 
less have  the  genial,  generous  hearts  of  their  countiy- 

*  Here  and  there  a  noble  exception  may  be  found.  In  this  neighbour- 
hood, Mr  Knight,  jun.,  has  not  unfrequently  spent  from  ten  to  twelve 
shillings  a-week,  unsolicited,  in  providing  a  meal  for  men  whom  he  has 
employed  on  other  lines,  who  have  walked  many  a  mile  from  the  place 
of  their  last  piece  of  work  without  a  penny  in  their  pockets,  and,  but 
for  kindly  help  such  as  this,  would  go  starving  through  a  hard  day's  or 
cold  night's  work.     And  still  there  are  numbers  who  do  so. 

If  those  who  find  their  good  breakfasts  ready  and  warm  every  morning, 
to  strengthen  them  for  a  day  of  lighter  toil,  if  not  of  idleness,  would 
remember  this  when  they  meet  hungry  men  seeking  for  work,  perhaps 
kt'i't  waiting  for  it  for  days,  or  disappointed  altogether,  and  would  give 
them  a  good  meal  of  bread  and  meat,  it  would  save  a  vast  amount  of 
distress,  and  positive  injury  to  healtb. 


348   WORK  TO  DO  FOR  GOD  AND  OUR  BROTHER. 

men,  only  needing  to  be  rightly  touched  to  rouse  them 
into  active  kindness.  Here  and  there,  too,  one  of  them 
has  been  a  navvy  himself  at  the  outset  of  life,  and 
must  therefore  have  a  fellow-feeling  for  those  who 
still  toil  with  the  shovel  and  pick,  whereby  he  has 
made  his  own  fortune. 

It  cannot  be  that  these  men  in  power  are  so  bent 
upon  gold-getting,  as  wilfully  to  sacrifice  their  fellow- 
creatures'  health  and  life,  and  more  precious  things 
still,  to  heap  up  riches  a  little  the  faster — striking  the 
foundations  of  their  lines,  and  bridges,  and  tunnels,  in 
the  flesh  and  blood  of  their  brothers.     But, 

"  Evil  is  wrought 
By  want  of  thought. 
As  well  as  want  of  heart." 

The  contract  has  been  entered  into — engaging  for 
the  railway  to  be  completed  by  a  fixed  date.  The 
common  error  seems  to  be,  that  too  short  a  time  is 
named,  at  all  events  inclusive  of  allowance  for  un- 
favourable contingencies.  At  the  commencement,  but 
a  few  men  are  employed.  By  and  by  some  unfore- 
seen obstacle  impedes  progress — more  hands  are 
called  for — winter  approaches,  with  its  short  days. 
Now  comes  the  grievance  of  but  half-an-hour  allowed 
for  dinner-time.  Every  Englishman  reckons  on  a 
whole  hour  as  his  undeniable  right ;  were  this  abridge- 
ment of  his  day's  chief  comfort  universally  made  by 
masters  in  town  and  country,  it  would  be  enough  to 


WORK  TO   DO    FOK   GOD   AND   OUR  BROTHER.    349 

risk  a  revolution  I  Several  of  the  navvies  are  in 
the  habit  of  going  for  dinner  to  their  lodgings,  if 
within  a  moderate  distance  of  the  line  :  so  that  half 
the  time  is  occupied  in  the  walk  to  and  fro. 

Then  follows  the  night-work,  often  accompanied 
by  danger,  not  unfrequently  by  serious  accidents  If 
the  time  is  drawing  on  towards  the  close  of  the 
contract,  the  work  now  becomes  extremely  severe. 
In  the  winter  of  1856,  some  of  the  men  told  me 
that  they  had  not  had  above  four  nights'  rest  in 
three  weeks,  working  day  and  night. 

Then  follows  the  worst  grievance  of  all.  The 
Sabbath  can  be  spared  to  them  no  longer.  The 
working  man's  one  day  of  rest,  after  six  of  weary  toil, 
is  taken  from  him.  True,  no  slave-driver  stands  over 
him  with  a  whip  to  lash  him  to  the  unwelcome  task, 
but,  if  he  refuse,  he  is  dismissed ;  and  he  may  have 
a  hundred  miles  or  more  to  walk,  without  a  penny 
in  his  pocket,  to  find  fresh  work  on  another  line ; 
where,  on  the  next  Sabbath,  the  same  thing  may 
come  over  again. 

Many  a  man  complains  bitterly  of  the  loss  of  his 
British  birthright — his  one  day  of  peace  and  quiet 
in  the  seven — who  has  not  yet  learned  the  higher  value 
of  the  Christian's  privilege  to  spend  it  in  the  worship 
of  his  God.  But  the  saddest  thing  of  all  is  to  see 
some  of  them  going  to  work  with  consciences  en- 
lightened to  feel  the  sin  of  it,  whilst  faith  is  not  yet 


350     WORK  TO  DO  FOR  GOD  AND  OUR  BROTHER. 

strong  enough  to  run  the  risk  of  dismissal  and  its 
penalties,  by  a  refusal.  Before  you  and  I  judge 
them,  let  us  try  a  week's  starvation,  and  a  few  nights 
of  sleeping  in  a  ditch  under  a  November  fog,  or 
amidst  the  snows  of  January.  It  goes  to  one's  heart 
when  navvy  boys  leave  word  at  the  Sunday-school, 
^'  They  can't  stay,  more  's  the  pity  ;  because  they  've 
got  to  go  to  work  for  the  best  part  of  the  day.  But 
they  do  wish  their  lady  would  see  to  it,  and  not  let  it 
be  so  any  more ; "  making  one  feel  one's  utter  help- 
lessness to  move  in  the  matter  the  more  painfully  by 
their  childlike  confidence. 

If  each  proprietor  of  land  through  whose  ground 
the  railway  passes,  would  not  sell  it  without  making 
a  stipulation  that  the  working-man  should  have  his 
seventh  day's  rest  secured,  he  would  bring  down  a 
blessing  on  both  souls  and  bodies,  and  would  find 
that  the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath  would  repay  him  seven- 
fold into  his  own  bosom.  And  if  this  became  an 
integral  part  of  railway  contracts,  the  contractors 
would  bestir  themselves  at  first  to  secure  a  larger 
jiumber  of  men,  and  so  ^'  take  time  by  the  forelock." 

Is  it  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  let  His  rational 
creatures  be  driven  harder  than  stage-coach  horses 
were,  in  the  days  before  railroads  were  made,  when 
it  was  found  not  to  answer  to  their  owners  to  deprive 
them  of  God's  appointed  rest  for  beast  as  well  as 
man? 


"WORK  TO  DO  FOli  GOD  AND  OUR  BKOTHEE.      3ol 

What  with  Sabbath-work  and  night-work,  I  have 
Been  strong,  fine  young  men  aged  in  a  few  months, 
as  if  by  years  of  wear  and  tear.  And  where  are  the 
old  navvies  1  Are  they  to  be  found  in  villages  or 
workhouses  ?  Some  few  may  be ;  but  I  have  never 
yet  seen  or  heard  of  them  in  either  place.  Here  and 
there  I  find  one  on  the  line ;  but  the  vast  majority, 
I  believe,  die  in  what  ought  to  be  their  prime. 
There  was  a  grey-haired  man  in  Beckenham,  who 
was  honoured  by  the  sobriquet  of  "  Old  Edward." 
yVe  believed  him  to  be  at  least  on  the  shady  side 
of  sixty.  On  inquiry,  to  our  astonishment,  we  found 
he  was  but  eight-and- thirty.  He  had  seen  a  quartei 
of  a  century  pass  by  him  on  the  line. 

Another  boon  wliich  humanity  seems  to  demand 
for  these  poor  men,  is  the  construction  of  a  shed  close 
to  their  work,  in  which  they  could  sit  down  to  eat 
their  dinner  when  the  rain  has  soaked  the  ground 
into  a  bog.  In  my  daily  visits  to  the  men  at  their 
dinner-time,  whilst  gladdened  to  see  them  run  up  the 
side  of  the  *^  cutting"  at  sight  of  a  iriend,  like  bees 
swarming  up  a  hive,  often  does  my  heart  ache  to 
have  no  pla-i^-  to  offer  them  to  rest  their  tired  limbs 
upon,  as  they  seat  themselves  in  rows,  three  deep, 
of  twenty  or  thirty  in  a  line,  in  grass  almost  as  wet 
as  a  pond;  and  when  concern  is  expressed,  the  usual 
reply  is,  "  Well,  if  it 's  good  enow  for  you  to  stand 
in,  it 's  good  enow  for  we  to  sit  in,  and  better  than 


352      WOBK  TO  DO  FOR  GOD  AND  OUR  BROTHER. 

the  mud  in  the  cutting,  anyhow.  But  a  bit  of  a 
shed  over  our  heads  for  when  it 's  a  pouring  of  rain 
would  save  many  a  poor  fellow  from  catching  of  the 
rheumatiS;  whilst  he^s  a  sitting  still." 

That  "shed"  is  our  vision  of  comfort,  our  chateau 
en  Espagne;  and  I  hope  we  shall  have  it,  in  reality, 
before  another  winter  sets  in. 

And  here  I  may  just  mention  that  the  navvies 
never  seem  to  be  disturbed  by  these  dinner-time 
visits,  or  to  eat  their  meal  less  heartily ;  on  the  con- 
trary, polite  inquiries  are  made,  if  the  plan  has  been 
interrupted  for  a  few  days,  ''  S'pose  you've  been  to 
the  gangs  at  the  other  end  of  the  line,  ma'am,  as  we 
haven't  seen  you  here  for  a  bit  ?  " 

Indian  news,  in  a  digest  of  the  Times;  now  and  then 
one  of  those  noble  and  beautiful,  yet  heart-wringing 
letters  which  have  glorified  those  annals  of  horror,  as 
the  faith  of  their  writers  hallowed  even  scenes  of 
bloodshed  and  torture ;  or  a  fine,  thrilling  passage 
from  some  leading  article — make  the  usual  commence- 
ment of  conversation  at  each  daily  rendezvous.  This 
is  always  concluded  by  some  passage  from  the  Word 
of  God — most  frequently  a  parable,  and  usually  it  is 
repeated,  not  read,  to  sustain  attention  and  interest 
at  an  hour  of  the  day  when  anything  like  a  service 
would  seem  ill-timed. 

In  this  manner  many  can  be  reached  who  lodge 
too  far  away  to  attend   cottage-readings,  excepting 


WORK  TO  DO  FOR  GOD  AND  OUR  BROTHER.      353 

now  and  then  on  a  fine  Sunday  night.  The  intelli- 
gent and  sympathising  interest  they  have  expressed, 
both  by  word  and  look,  in  the  present  terrible  history 
of  British  India,  would  have  amply  repaid,  for  the 
effort  to  impart  it  to  them,  any  man  or  woman  in 
England.* 

In  a  word,  what  I  now  plead  for,  with  those  who 
are  called,  and  not  without  reason,  "the  privileged 
classes"  of  this  country,  is : — When  navvies,  or 
any  other  labourers  either  in  fields  or  factories,  are 
within  your  reach,  meet  them  with  a  frank  and  genial 
friendliness.  Alleviate  their  discomforts  as  far  as  lies 
in  your  power.  Provide  some  little  innocent  pleasure 
— a  tea-party,  for  instance — from  time  to  time,  for 
their  hard- worked  existence.  Above  all,  seek  to  secure 
to  them  their  Sabbaths ;  and  hold  forth  to  them  the 
Word  of  Life.  Give  them  Bibles  or  Testaments ;  and 
if  the  navvy's  name  be  written  therein,  with  a  few 

*  Whilst  these  pages  were  in  the  press^  an  unexpected  result  of  those 
readings  was  communicated  to  me.  An  oflEicer  in  the  Royal  Artillery 
mentioned  that  a  desei-ter  from  his  company,  who  had  been  working  as 
a  navvy  on  the  new  line  of  railway  h(  re,  delivered  himself  up  towards 
the  end  of  the  month  of  October  ''to  suflfer,"  as  he  requested,  "any 
punishment  short  and  sharp  enough  not  to  hinder  him  from  going  with 
the  next  draft  to  India,  to  fight  for  all  them  women  and  children  that 
he  had  heard  readings  about  in  Beckenham." 

His  request  was  granted.  He  has  sailed  for  India.  But  was  it  neces- 
sary, to  preserve  the  discipline  of  the  army,  that  such  a  man  should  carry 
for  ever  into  the  iront  of  his  foes  the  branded  "B"  upon  that  generoui 
brengtt 

2 


354      WORK  TO  DO  FOR  GOD  AND  OUR  BROTHER. 

words  of  friendly  dedication,  he  will  starve  rather 
than  part  with  it  at  any  price. 

If  the  hearts  of  my  countrymen  and  countrywomen 
have  warmed  towards  their  working-brothers,  whilst 
reading  these  brief  records  of  a  few  years'  intercourse 
with  them,  let  not  the  generous  fire  die  out  with  the 
close  of  the  book.  If  individual  efforts,  so  light  and 
easy,  have  resulted,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  in  so  much 
that  is  cheering  and  hopeful,  what  might  not  be  ef- 
fected if  the  educated  and  refined  class  of  this  country 
determined,  in  dependence  upon  Divine  help,  to  draw 
out  the  higher  and  nobler  feelings  of  the  less  favoured 
classes ;  setting  themselves  gently,  patiently,  stead- 
fastly to  work,  to  eradicate  the  notions  of  distrust, 
suspicion,  and  envy,  too  generally  entertained  by  the 
poor  towards  the  rich  j  until  both  should  practically 
realise  the  sentiment  well  and  wisely  expressed  by  a 
gifted  writer  of  the  present  day,  ^^  O  ye  rich,  respect 
the  poor.     0  ye  poor,  have  charity  for  the  rich." 

Above  aU,  O  favoured  ones,  who  have  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glad  tidings  of  the  redemption  of  the 
world  by  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  bringing 
glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good 
will  towards  men,  God  forbid  that  you  should  shut  up 
in  your  own  hearts  this  message  of  life  and  peace,  in- 
stead of  giving  it  in  its  fulness  to  every  fellow-crea- 
trire  within  your  reach.  If  you  have  hut  once  heard 
of  it  for  yourselves,  you  are  bound  to  bid  others  wel- 


WORK  TO  DO  FOR  GOD  AND  OUR  BROTHER.      355 

come  to  drink  of  the  river  of  the  water  of  life.  "  Let 
him  that  heareth  sajj  Come." 

If  you  have  long  ago  learned  to  love  the  gospel  oi 
Jesus  Christ,  but  the  fervour  of  that  first  love  has 
fled,  speak  to  others  of  your  half-forgotten  Saviour, 
and  you  shall  find  that  there  is  a  life-giving  power 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  to  restore  vitality  to  your  own 
chilled  soul. 

A  traveller  was  crossing  moraitain  heights  alone, 
over  almost  untrodden  snows.  Warning  had  been 
given  him  that  if  slumber  pressed  do-vvn  his  weary  eye- 
lids, they  would  inevitably  be  sealed  in  death.  For 
a  time  he  went  bravely  along  his  dreary  path.  But 
with  the  deepening  shade  and  freezing  blast  of  night, 
there  fell  a  weight  upon  his  brain  and  eyes  which 
seemed  to  be  irresistible.  In  vain  he  tried  to  rea- 
son with  himself;  in  vain  he  strained  his  utmost 
energies  to  shake  off  that  fatal  heaviness.  At  this 
crisis  of  his  fate,  his  foot  struck  against  a  heap  that 
lay  across  his  path.  No  stone  was  that ;  although 
no  stone  could  be  colder  or  more  lifeless.  He  stooped 
to  touch  it,  and  found  a  human  body  half  buried 
beneath  a  fresh  drift  of  snow.  The  next  moment 
the  traveller  had  taken  a  brother  in  his  arms,  and 
was  chafing  his  chest,  and  hands,  and  brow ;  breathing 
upon  the  stiff  cold  lips  the  warm  breath  of  his  living 
soul ;  pressing  the  silent  heart  to  the  beating  pulses 
of  his    own   generous   bosom.     The   effort   to   save 


356      WORK  TO  DO  FOR  GOD  AND  OUR  BROTHER. 

another  had  brought  back  to  himself  life,  warmth, 
and  energy.  He  was  a  man  again;  instead  of  a 
weak  creature  succumbing  to  a  despairing  helpless- 
ness, dropping  down  in  a  dreamless  sleep,  to  die. 

He  saved  his  brother,  and  was  saved  himself. 

"  Go  thou,"  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  and  Giver 
of  Life,  "  and  do  likewise." 


[TTIIVBRSITT] 


THE  END. 


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/V}3AlL 


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